We’ve now moved into full-on bike park mode in the Northern Hemisphere. However, there are still quite a few bike parks blanketed under snow. This is the time of year we all long for. More sun, warmer temperatures, and the ability to spend more time on our bikes. It’s also a reminder that whenever we go out on the trail, someone created, shaped, and then maintains them. That usually means it was either built by a professional trail crew, a group of volunteers, or a combination of both. This is a perfect time to continue our Professional Builder Profile interview series.

When it comes to trail building and preferred beverages, there are only two options … (1) coffee before trail building and (2) beer after trail building. Who doesn’t love a hot cup of coffee on a cold, damp morning before heading into the woods for a day of digging? We got you covered. In fact, we’re giving away a 5-pound bag of our Trail Builder Blend coffee to YOU! Whether you’re a professional trail builder or lead a group of volunteer trail builders, here’s how to win a big bag of coffee.

To talk or write about trails means there is a never-ending supply of content. Trails touch so many topics, from trail building itself, to tools and machinery, to policy and advocacy, to non-profit and for-profit trail building organizations and companies, to economic development, and so much more. I’ve repeated that last sentence to others more than I can count over the previous few weeks and months. While everything I just wrote (and said) is true, that is only the tip of the iceberg regarding trails. I’ve been reflecting on the power of trails to create community and bring people together.

This past weekend Black Rock Mountain Bike Association hosted an open house and fundraiser at the Black Rock Mountain Bike Area that featured well-known brands such as Chris King, SRAM, Transition Bikes, and more. Since it’s only an hour and a half drive from Portland, I decided to head down for the day to check it out. It’s my goal this summer to hit up as much as I can locally and regionally. In the world of mountain biking and trail building, there’s a never-ending supply of content here in the Pacific Northwest.

This past Saturday, the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance hosted Shovel & Shred. What is Shovel & Shred? “Women and femme-identifying folks are invited to dig alongside Evergreen trail builders and Red Bull Athletes for a day of bringing together the MTB community. To put it simply: we will dig, ride and chill.” The folks at Evergreen invited Trail Builder Mag to participate this year, and I’m glad we did. It was truly an event for the ages. So what happened to make this a spectacular day?

Over the past several months, I’ve had numerous conversations with trail builders from around the world. What is remarkable is that while there are similarities in the actual craft and building trails, many of the differences lie in local governance. Not only is each country different, but the nuances of each local state/province or city/town are also unique. That’s why I enjoy this series, where we interview trail builders from around the world. We all learn something new. In this next interview, we feature and chat with Kim Christian of Natur-Projekte in Germany.

Welcome riders, builders, and readers alike. My name is Sean Collins, and I am a full-time employed trail builder here on Vancouver Island, where I was born and raised. I am excited to announce that I have teamed up with Trail Builder Mag to give readers valuable and relatable content that hopefully will provide insight into the trail building world. Maybe you just want to learn about the industry and current trends or tools being used. Or perhaps you are a rouge backwoods builder, a weekend warrior, or a full-time pro builder. I think you will find value and entertainment in this series.

Who doesn’t love free stuff? More importantly, who doesn’t love a free hand tool? We’ve partnered with Helmetor out of the UK to do a giveaway. Helmetor created the Trailblazer. On top of that, this is a custom tool with our very own Trail Builder Magazine logo laser-etched onto it.

Ok, here’s how to win …

One of the benefits of attending the International Trails Summit last week in Reno was the opportunity to connect with so many different trail builders who started their own companies. I talked with those who’re mere months into their startup and have no other employees, all the way to those who’ve now been doing it for years with numerous office staff and dozens and dozens of hired trail builders. Whether you started three months ago or eighteen years ago, everyone has an origin story. Our latest interview is with Max Van Wie of Backslope Trail Building LLC, based in Johnson, Vermont.

To say that today was amazing would be an understatement. Maybe it’s because we went outside and got to play in the dirt. Maybe all the food trucks awaiting our arrival at the Hidden Valley Regional Park had something to do with it. Was it the sunshine? Perfect weather? Or was it that breakfast burrito I had or the cortado?