Trail building is often a quiet act of devotion—a labor that takes place early in the morning, in the rain, or long after the last rider has left the trailhead. For Gerry Creighton, what began as clearing brush in Southern New Jersey has evolved into leading build crews in Bellingham, WA, where he now stewards trails like Swirlz and Brown Pow. His work is rooted in a deep love for the ride, shaped by personal loss, and sustained by community. We caught up with Gerry to hear more about his journey, the evolution of his trail work, and why raw loam still makes his heart race.

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 …

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 …