Every week and weekend, tens of thousands of heroes trek into the woods with shovels, rakes, and mattocks to work on trails. Some are paid to do this as it is part of their livelihood and careers. Others are leading non-profit trail advocacy organizations. Most others are volunteers giving back to their local trails and communities. Each group and each person is a hero in the truest sense … courageous, noble qualities, and so much more.

Around here at Trail Builder Mag, we believe that trail builders, the unsung heroes, are integral to mountain biking. You are the heroes in the story of mountain biking.

I’m excited to share our next article in the Trail Heroes series. Even more so because we get to highlight and celebrate Stephanie Jagl-Posch from Austria. Let’s jump into this …

Tom Cole, CRC Trails’ Lead Trail Designer and Project Manager, has dedicated his career to creating some of Scotland’s most beloved mountain biking trails. From grassroots beginnings in rural Scotland to designing iconic routes, Tom’s passion for sustainable, rider-focused trails shines through every project. In this interview, Tom shares his journey into professional trail building, the challenges of creating with nature in mind, and how innovations like adaptive bike trails and e-bike networks are shaping the future of the sport. Whether it’s hand-cut paths or machine-built flow lines, Tom’s work embodies a commitment to creating unforgettable riding experiences.

We are all familiar with the phrase, “Trails don’t build themselves.” While every reader here knows that all too well, the consensus is that most mountain bikers are not always aware of who builds and maintains the trails they enjoy. In a social media post this week, we asked what obstacles you face regarding trail building. “Finding and recruiting volunteers” was one response.

So, how do we get more mountain bikers to park their bikes for a day and instead pick up a shovel, rake, or McLeod and work on trails? One possible solution is to capture the hearts and imaginations of the youth …

It’s been a few months since we last published an interview in this series. In the rapidly changing world that we live in, especially as professional trail builders with projects constantly starting and finishing, even if we wait only a few months between when we get responses back from an interview to publishing it, so much has changed. I say that as a backdrop for posting this interview with Uriah Steber of Benchmark Trails.

One of the realities apparent in trail building is that it takes everyone for trails to happen. It's literally "all hands on deck." The "everyone" ranges from trail stewardship non-profits, policy and advocacy organizations, professional trail builders, and a multitude of volunteers, but what about for-profit companies like bike brands, component makers, coffee roasters, breweries, apparel companies, bike shops, and so many more? Without the backing and involvement of these brands, where would trail building be?

I'm excited to introduce a new series called "Brands that Build." In this series, we'll take a peek behind the curtain of a wide range of companies and hear about how and why they put money and time behind trail building, not only in their neck of the woods but, for some, globally as well. What better place to start than with a brand with quite a buzz ... Chris King.

I set out to launch a magazine and create a media platform to celebrate and elevate trail building. Early on, I came up with this statement, "We believe that trail builders, the unsung heroes, are integral to mountain biking." While this includes everyone who builds and maintains trails, I especially had volunteers in mind. That's why I am starting a new series to celebrate you.

I'm calling it Trail Heroes. To kick off this series, I tapped Lars Romig, who lives, rides, digs, and adventures in one of the most iconic mountain bike destinations: Sedona.