Homepage
Public Services
Trails
Trail Staking Program Oversight (download Trail Staking Info)
The NAB trail staking program oversight is now the responsibility of the NAB Public Safety Department. Previously, this oversight was the responsibility of the Assembly Trail Staking Committee. The Department has been working on developing “minimum standards” for trail staking. A copy of these standards is attached. Please review these standards with all trail stakers, prior to the commencement of work and require them to use these standards when constructing and maintaining trails.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR STAKING ICE TRAILS
OR ICE PORTIONS OF OVERLAND TRAILS
IMPORTANT
Early Winter Activity
The NAB has tripod pole inventory this year. The NAB will work with each respective organization charged with staking trails on the availability of tripod poles and areas that require permanent markers. Reflective tape will also be available. Reflective taping should be stapled as mentioned later in this document. The NAB can provide stapler and staples if your organization does not have them. Please contact the NAB Search &
Rescue Coordinator for tripod poles, reflective taping and stapler/staples (If you don’t have them.) All villages are strongly encouraged to get trail crews out early (immediately) on overland trail segments in order to find and recover poles and erect tripods that have been knocked down or have fallen. Recovering poles and finding and fixing of tripods before we get significant snowfall will help ensure the staking of all trails.
- Trails or trail segments should follow as straight a line, as much as possible.
- Stakes must be no further than 100 feet apart, and can be as close as 50 feet, or as conditions require (i.e. up to 200 feet in confined river corridors).
- Stakes (willows) must be at least 4 feet high.
- Stakes should be securely anchored in the ice.
- Reflector tape must be applied at 36 inches or higher.
- Minimum reflector size shall be 1 ½” wide x 6” long (1 ½” x 12” folded onto itself).
- Dangerous portions along the trail Changes of direction should be gradual, with adequate markers to show the change with reflective tape as noted:
- White reflection marker – Main Trails
- Orange reflection marker – Caution (Slow Down)
- Red reflective markers – Extreme Danger
- Abrupt changes in direction, if necessary, should be marked as shown below.
- All reflective tapes must be removed from ice trails in late spring.
MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR STAKING
OR MAINTAINING OVERLAND TRAILS
- Trails or trail segments should follow a straight a line, as much as possible.
- Stakes must be no further than 200 feet apart, and can be as close as 100 feet, as preference or terrain and conditions require.
- Stakes (tripods) must be at least 6 feet high at each intersection point.
- Stakes should be un-treated round natural wooden poles as supplied by the NAB, or used, un-treated (natural wood) poles in sound condition.
- Poles should be fastened approximately 1-foot from the tops using either 12 gauge galvanized wire as provided by the NAB or through bolts to fasten the tripods together, again, as provided by the NAB.
- Reflector tape must be applied at the 3-foot height on each pole, and at or near the 6-foot height. It should be wrapped fully around the pole and stapled several times with a hand stapler.
- Trail maintenance should include:
- Replacing old or damaged tripods with new un-treated wood poles.*
- Replacing rusted tie wire with 12 gauge galvanized wire.
- Adding new reflective tape where old tape is missing or damaged.
- Adding new tripods where tripods are missing or do not meet the minimum requirements as listed above.*
- All intersections and changes of direction on trails must be marked as shown in the following diagram:
- White reflection marker – Main Trails
- Orange reflection marker – Caution (Slow Down)
- Red reflective markers – Extreme Danger
*As the NAB has limited tripod poles at this time, local crews need to make the best use of recovered materials and note where new tripods are needed in the event more funding for trail staking is received in the future.