Club Work Trips
Georgia
Appalachian Trail Club schedules monthly work trips on the third Saturday,
open to GATC members and guests, for the purpose of trail construction and maintenance.
Participating in at least one work trip is a requirement for membership in GATC. Many members find work trips an enjoyable opportunity to meet new friends while contributing to the preservation of the Trail, so they become regular participants.
Learning about Work Trips
Non Club members learn about work trips from members and prospective members who invite them to participate as guests.
There is no prerequisite training required to attend a work trip. Volunteers learn from the more experienced members of the Trails and Structure Committee while working on-the-job.
To find out when the next work trip is scheduled, check The Georgia Mountaineer Bulletin or the online activities calendar. You must contact the trip leader or the trail supervisor for specific details about an upcoming trip. The trip leader will attempt to facilitate carpools for participants. Remember if you ride with someone, it is appropriate to compensate the driver for the gas.
What's a Typical Work Trip Like?
Preparing to Work
Volunteers should wear work clothes and bring work gloves. It's a
good idea to dress in layers, since you'll warm up as your work progresses,
and bring rain gear if there's a chance of rain.
You should also bring water, snacks, and any medicine you may need during
the day. GATC will provide the tools you need for the day.
Assemble at the Work Site
All volunteers will meet at the trail head to sign the trip waiver,
receive a safety briefing, learn about the activities for the day, and be
assigned to a group. Tools will be passed out to the groups, and then the
leaders will take their groups to their assigned sites and provide
additional information once they are on location.
Types of Work
Everyone works within their capabilities, and no one will be asked
to do anything that they may be uncomfortable doing. Types of work includes:
Routine maintenance: Volunteers may perform a routine maintenance activities such as repairing waterbars and dips, and removing branches, trees, and debris that falls on the trail.
Specialized maintenance: Using a crosscut saw or chainsaw is considered specialized maintenance and requires prior advanced training and certification by the U.S. Forest Service. No one will be allowed to use either of these saws unless certified.
After the JobAt a predetermined time, usually mid afternoon, the work will be stopped. All volunteers will hike back to the trailhead with their tools. The names and work hours of all volunteers will be recorded in the GATC work trip database by the trip leader.