In your opinion, what separates a really good trail from an average one?
I’ll give the answer from my perspective as a builder more than a rider: a trail that enough people care about. If enough people care about the trail, complicating factors (politics, funding, work atmosphere, etc.) tend to sort themselves out, allowing you to focus more on building a fun trail. In the long term, this is what separates an average trail that probably doesn’t get the maintenance it deserves from a really good, cared-for trail.
What project are you most proud of, and why?
Good question. Currently, I’m working in the Zugspitze Arena in Austria. It’s just a blue flow trail, but I helped build a trail here in 2023 and a skill area in 2025. It’s really nice to have repeat work in the same areas since you already know the people involved and can see a place evolve. I also know the crew that maintains the trails we build, so that feedback is great and sometimes missing in other areas.
What’s one thing about trail building that might surprise people outside the community?
Trail building is very complex. I’ve worked in many roles, from planner to designer to builder to promoter. I feel I’ve learned and relearned so much. It is not just trimming vegetation on historic trail corridors; it involves aligning political will with a vision for the future alongside all the other involved parties and then actually building and demonstrating that expectation.
What should a good entry-level trail building course teach that people can’t easily learn on their own?
An entry-level trail building course would depend on the role, location, type of building, etc. I think something that comes with general outdoor experience is quickly interpreting natural systems to inform trail decisions. That means quickly interpreting the area’s general hydrology, geology, and wildlife based on what you see on the ground. It doesn’t mean that you know everything, but that you know when to research or ask for more information. It could be identifying a groundwater issue, researching a strange animal track, or testing soil compaction methods.
Have you ever changed a trail design because of environmental or biodiversity considerations? If so, what did you change and why?
Yes, there are many instances, from changing trail corridors away from critical habitat for a protected species (often owls or raptors in Austria) to elevating a section of trail over a wet area to minimize impact on the wetland. At Arapahoe Basin, I worked on the ski area expansion, which included a cat track traversing the mountain at nearly 4000m. To get a 20t excavator there, we rolled old tractor tires under the tracks in rotation to avoid disturbing the tundra. For the backslopes and other exposed soil areas, we used erosion control matting and other fabrics (excelsior mat and waddle), cutting holes in them to replant the harvested chunks of tundra. We also sprinkled native tundra grass seed mixes. I haven’t seen that level of effort since then, but I would love to see that level of planning and coordination more.
