Women Trail Builders Interview Series: Alex Showerman
I was blown away by how well-received the first Women's Trail Builder Profile interview was. My inbox has continued to be filled with people wanting to highlight a female trail builder they know. It's super encouraging and shows how stoked people are about getting females into this space. Incredible! Next, I'd like to highlight a very special trail builder. She has one of the most positive and unique perspectives on how she got to where she is with trail building today. She defines being an ally, and it's her mission to make this space as positive as possible. Good vibes only from here on out. Without further ado, here is Alex Showerman. Let's get rippin!
Emily: How did you first start getting into trail building?
Alex: I went to my first trail day in 2015 at Perry Hill in Waterbury, Vermont. I knew absolutely nothing but quickly was hooked! My friend Dana Allen was one of the founding board members of the Waterbury Area Trails Alliance. He spent time teaching me what a McLeod was and how to clear a drain properly. He also was the person who encouraged me to run for the board. I owe a lot to Dana!
We all started doing waffle Wednesdays after trail days, and the friends I dug with became like family! Ultimately, I joined the board of WATA and, over time, became the Lead Trail Steward and President.
In 2020, I came out as trans and had to take space from digging, as it was a really hard space to come out in. I found a new home in the women’s freeride space and traveled the country in my RV. Lived in Virgin, Utah, got to attend the full week before at Rampage to see the builds come to life, then ultimately got invited to dig at Formation, which was such a dream realized and re-ignited the spark to dig. All that time traveling around and digging in Virgin really opened up my creativity and ability to see trails in new and exciting ways. It has been so exciting and fun to bring that to Evergreen here in Washington!
Emily: What is it like being a women trail builder in an industry dominated by men?
Alex: My initial response is to say hard and turn this answer into a vent sesh! But also, I’m grateful to have learned from so many rad men, and I’d rather highlight the importance of male allyship. Many guys who are pros seem super excited to support and mentor more women into the space. The biggest challenge comes on the volunteer level, where a lot of guys just can’t fathom that a woman is a pro builder. The amount I have had basic concepts explained to me or been flat-out told what I am doing is wrong by volunteers is infuriating. Candidly, I invest most of my time and energy in building more spaces for women to step into leadership and dig together. To do this, I seek out the guys aligned with that mission, bring them into our community, and show the haters how much fun we’re having!
Emily: What unique perspective do you bring to trail building?
Alex: Well, I’m trans, so I’ve experienced this space presenting male and as a woman. Even though my resume is stacked now compared to when I was presenting male, I have to work so much harder to be respected. So the unique perspective is I know how it feels to be respected as a peer by the guys and how it feels to be completely discounted by them simply because of my gender. This motivates me not just to dig but also to be proactive in changing the culture of trail building so more women can step into leadership and break this bias.
Emily: What are the biggest obstacles you face being a woman trail builder?
Alex: Once again, rather than focus on the negative, I’d like to celebrate the benefits of having more women involved in trail building. Women are natural community builders, and having traveled the country, the networks with women in leadership are THRIVING! Also, I find leading trail work days that our women’s days get the most done and are the most fun! The trails built and designed by women tend to absolutely rip because, as a whole, we tend to seek moments that spark joy and encourage progression. Trail orgs and crews have so much to gain by hiring more women because of the unique perspective we bring.
Emily: How can we encourage and empower more women trail builders?
Alex: Give us trails to build! In Washington, we have two awesome case studies of what happens when women are given the opportunity to build and design trails! Sturdy Dirty with CCDH and MsFits/Donut Squad with Dirt and Debauchery. Both of these saw huge groups of women show up and create absolutely ripping trails!! I’d love to see more advocacy organizations create and hold this space.
Emily: What is your favorite trail that you have ever worked on?
Alex: Cami and Louise’s lines at Red Bull Formation. I’m a big steeps and tech girl, and their lines went pretty much straight down from the top of the mesa to the valley floor. Cami and Louise are such incredible leaders, and our crews learned a bunch and had such a blast building together. As a builder, it was so rewarding to help someone achieve their dreams. Closer to home, most recently, Dirt and Debauchery!
—————————-
That concludes our interview. Want to be interviewed for this series or want to recommend someone? Click the button below and drop me an email.
Interview by: Emily Williams Photos: Jack Lambert Media and Stephen Shelesky
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily Williams
Emily Williams started riding mountain bikes about a decade ago in Central Oregon. The time spent with friends out in the woods was what made her fall in love with mountain biking. Emily’s background is in youth development and sports management. Currently, she is the Director of Operations for a local nonprofit soccer club.
