Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area · Middle Yukon River

Crane and Rigging Exam Prep for Galena on the Yukon

Galena has no road link to the rest of Alaska. It is reached by air, by river boat and, in the ice-free months, by the barges that bring fuel, building materials and heavy equipment up and down the Yukon. That makes the barge landing the most important lifting site in town for part of the year. The community also carries the infrastructure of a former Air Force station and the lessons of the 2013 flood. For residents who run equipment, rig loads or signal, our online course is a way to prepare for accredited exams without spending weeks away from home.

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The air station left behind a lot of steel

Galena Air Force Station sat on the north bank of the Yukon about 270 miles west of Fairbanks. By 1993 all permanent military personnel and aircraft were gone and a contractor maintained the facilities. The 2005 base closure round voted to close the site, and the Air Force says operations ended in 2008. The runway now serves as the Edward G. Pitka Sr. Airport, with daily flights to Fairbanks.

Former base buildings, fuel systems and utilities need upkeep, reuse or removal, and environmental cleanup at the site is still listed as active by the state. Demolition and tank removal are lifting jobs where unknown weights and corroded pick points are the main hazards, so estimating loads and inspecting attachment points becomes the whole job.

Part of the property continues as an Air Force forward operating location, and the community takes part in a restoration advisory board that follows the cleanup. Contractors brought in for that work typically expect operators and riggers to arrive already qualified.

What the 2013 flood changed

In late May 2013, an ice jam on a sharp bend roughly 18 miles downriver backed water and ice into town. FEMA reports that nearly 90 percent of homes, businesses and public buildings flooded, and almost all residents were evacuated by air to Fairbanks and Anchorage. Heavy equipment cleared ice slabs from the streets in the weeks that followed.

Recovery pushed Galena toward building higher and tighter. The Army Corps of Engineers surveyed first-floor elevations on 318 buildings, and new homes built in 2014 were designed to survive flooding and meet cold-climate standards. Raising or setting buildings on elevated foundations relies on careful rigging and crane placement on ground that may still be saturated.

Barge season lifting

  • Short window: barges can only run while the river is open, so a backlog of lifts often lands at once.
  • Riverbank ground: silt and saturated soil near the landing need mats or cribbing under outriggers.
  • Mixed loads: fuel tanks, modular units, vehicles and building packages each need a different rigging plan.
  • Cold starts: steel, wire rope and hydraulics behave differently at deep winter temperatures, which matters for any off-season lift.

Rules and test logistics

Galena is in the Unorganized Borough, and no Alaska government issues its own crane license. Construction lifting follows the federal crane standard as adopted and enforced by AKOSH, while work for federal agencies can bring federal OSHA into the picture. Fairbanks is the usual place to travel for exams; written tests may be offered by online proctoring, but the practical always happens on a real crane.

Questions people ask

I unload barges with a loader and occasionally a crane. Where should I start?

Begin with Rigger Level I to build a solid base in sling selection, hitches and load control. Add mobile crane operator prep if you run the crane yourself.

Can I study during freeze-up when nothing is moving?

Yes. The course is available any time on a phone, tablet or computer, and the slow months are a good time to work through it.

Are weight estimates on old tanks and buildings really covered on the exams?

Yes. Estimating load weight, finding the center of gravity and choosing pick points are core subjects on rigger exams and appear on operator exams too. Practicing those calculations is one of the most useful things you can do before demolition or salvage work.

Can a village corporation or school district enroll staff?

Yes. Employers can enroll several workers together. Start through the enrollment form.

Courses suited to local work

  • Rigger I

    Get ready for the NCCCO Rigger Level I written exam with lessons on slings, hitches, hardware and inspection, aimed at Alaska workers who hook and unhook routine loads.

  • Mobile Crane

    Study for the NCCCO mobile crane written exams on your own schedule, from a rough-terrain hydro in a Mat-Su subdivision to a crawler on a Kenai Peninsula bridge or a crane barged into a village for the summer.

  • Signalperson

    Prepare for the NCCCO Signalperson written exam with lessons on standard hand signals, voice commands and radio discipline, for Alaska crews who direct cranes in dark, cold and noisy conditions.

  • Service Truck Crane

    Exam prep for the NCCCO service truck crane credential, written for mechanics and lube techs who run a small telescopic crane off the back of a service body.

Neighboring areas

Line up your crane certification prep from anywhere in Alaska

Let us know the card you need — operator, rigger or signal person — and the community you work out of, whether that's on the road system or off it. An enrollment advisor writes back with a matching course and a plan for getting your written and practical exams on the calendar.

  • Lessons open around the clock, on any phone, tablet or laptop
  • Practice questions shaped like the NCCCO written tests
  • Help mapping out where and when to take your hands-on practical

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