Trails School - Pump Track Design and Construction
Spring 2025 Class Dates:
- 3 Day class (24hrs)
- Wednesday, Thursday, Friday (8 am-5 pm)
- March 26-28, 2025
Description
Pump Tracks are popping up in towns all over the world and serve to bring communities together around biking. Much the same as skate parks were to the evolution of skateboarding, pump tracks are a place to meet up, get a workout, get in the flow, and progress your skills. From the refined and paved tracks of the UCI World Pump Track Championships to the backyard dirt rollers and berms that you and your buddies
built one summer, pump tracks run the gamut from tiny to XL and all maintain one thing in common: they can be ridden without pedaling.
In November of 2024, we held class #1 and built a 220 ft pump trail and 60x80 oval pump track. In class #2 we will focus on redesign and construction of new pump tracks as well as addressing maintenance issues that come up over time.
This is your chance to join Peter Mills of Elevated Trail Design from Asheville, NC for 3 days of deep dive into pump track design, construction, and maintenance. You’ll be working on a Community Learning Pump Track for the Town of Old Fort, NC. Your classroom is 1,000 cubic yards of dirt along the Fonta Flora State Trail at the
Old Fort Trailhead. You’ll learn about drainage and the geometry of rollers, berms, roller-doubles, alternate lines, transitions, interchanges, and sweet jumps. You’ll learn the tools of the trade, from shovels and rakes to vibratory plate compactors and tampers.
Note: Peter will operate an excavator through part of the class. This will be a great chance to see how you can get a lot of heavy lifting and shaping done with a machine. However, this class is not a machine class and students will not be operating equipment. *See available classes for the next machine class.
Throughout the class, you’ll participate in discussions about design considerations and building while you help to build the actual public track. This class will be held repeatedly as needed for redesign and rebuild of the dirt track. These classes will result in a 15,000 sq ft public pump track and skills park which will be open and rideable from the end of class 1 and will evolve over time.
About the Old Fort Community Learning Pump Track:
This pump track is a passion project of Jeremy Poore of McDowell Tech Trail School and Mountain Top Shuttles in Old Fort, NC. As a lifelong rider, Jeremy grew up with BMX tracks and wood kickers in the 80s and switched to mountain biking in the 90s. When the F3ST (Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail) organization started construction on their town trailhead, a pump track was included in the design. A proposal and a few meetings with their Executive Director led to an agreement to fund and build the track through a series of classes hosted by McDowell Tech Trail School at McDowell Technical Community College).
When Peter learned of the project, he jumped in with both feet and requested to teach the whole series! Peter was also born to bikes and grew up riding everything Western North Carolina has to offer. His company Elevated Trail Design is a PTBA (Professional Trail Builders Association) member company and builds bike parks, trails, pump tracks, skills parts and anything bike-related all around the country. Peter is stoked to be part of this project and we’re lucky to have him. This project is a partnership between: F3ST, The Town of Old Fort, McDowell Tech Community College, Mountain Top Shuttles LLC, and Elevated Trail Design.
Instructors: Peter Mills, Elevated Trail Design; Jeremy Poore, McDowell Tech Trail School
Day 1
8am – 5pm: Day 1 will consist of part classroom and part field work. Classroom work will include an overview of pump track design considerations and site planning. (approx. 2 hours) From there we’ll travel to the Fonta Flora Trailhead in Old Fort, NC. We'll evaluate the site, take measurements, make a plan and start construction.
8am – 5pm: Day 1 will consist of part classroom and part field work. Classroom work will include an overview of pump track design considerations and site planning. (approx. 2 hours) From there we’ll travel to the Fonta Flora Trailhead in Old Fort, NC. We'll evaluate the site, take measurements, make a plan and start construction.
Day 2 and 3
8am – 5pm: Days 2 and 3 will be held at the build site. We will focus on design and building as much track as we can complete over the next two days. You’ll become familiar with various hand tools and power equipment. You’ll be able to test ride and evaluate built track.
Tools and Equipment:
A variety of tools will be used in this course including: tape measure, measure wheel, pin flags, rake, shovel, mcloed, rogue hoe, tampers, plate compactors and more. Tools will be provided for the class.
A variety of tools will be used in this course including: tape measure, measure wheel, pin flags, rake, shovel, mcloed, rogue hoe, tampers, plate compactors and more. Tools will be provided for the class.
Safety:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for this class includes: gloves, eye protection, and sturdy boots/shoes. There is very little shade near the build site, so bring sunscreen, hat and consider long sleeves/pants if you burn easily.
Location:
Day 1: Morning is at McDowell Tech, Old Fort Campus
Day 1: Morning is at McDowell Tech, Old Fort Campus
Days 2-3 will take place at the Fonta Flora State Trailhead in Old Fort about 1/2 mile from campus.
Participants will need to bring sufficient water (3 liters minimum), lunch, and snacks as well as clothing to deal with changing temperatures and weather conditions. Instructors have current First Aid/CPR and first aid kits.
Total Cost: $71.30 Tuition
Click the link below to register: