Unsanctioned: A Series About Rogue Trail Builders - Part 1: Italy
Unsanctioned Trails and Rogue Trail Builders: Why This Conversation Matters
There's a saying about unsanctioned trails: they exist because of unmet demands or needs. I feel the same way about social media and willingly giving a voice to "rogue" trail builders. Why is that?
I've had numerous conversations with non-profit trail stewarship leaders who are almost exasperated by getting blasted on social media by rogue builders. Often, the pushback is due to lengthy bureaucracy and rules regarding building and maintaining trails. This causes much frustration for builders who want trails NOW, not ten years later.
As you can imagine, both sides are frustrated, even angry, and can sometimes be verbally hostile. When that happens, all communication lines are severed. Trail stewardship organizations go their way while the rogue builder quietly picks up a McLeod and slips unnoticed into the forest to begin digging a new … and unsanctioned trail.
The Conflict Between Sanctioned Trails and Illegal Mountain Bike Trails
That's why we need to have a public conversation about this. This is one of the dirty secrets of trail building. Truth be told, it's actually neither dirty nor a secret. As I've heard from trail builders worldwide, many have told me that where they live, there is no such thing as sanctioned or official trails. Many here in the U.S. are quick to point out that our origins are in rogue trails that, one by one, over the decades, became sanctioned.
Launching the Unsanctioned Trails Series: Hearing Directly From Builders
Where do we stand on this topic? That's why I am launching a series on the subject of unsanctioned trails and hearing from the builders themselves who are building them. As I communicated with each builder, I told them they would remain anonymous. I'm not here to out anyone.
Since many people who work for non-profit, city, state, and federal agencies follow this magazine, I wanted this to be educational. What are rogue builders thinking? Why are they doing what they're doing? So here we are. Welcome to Unsanctioned, a new series that explores the topic of rogue trail building. Let's jump into the first interview.
Rogue Trail Builder Interview: Unsanctioned Trails in Italy and Austria
Sean: Where are you located (generically)?
Builder: I'm located in both northern Italy and Austria
Why Builders Turn to Unsanctioned Trail Building
Sean: What prompted you to begin building unsanctioned trails? Have you tried to go through the due process of building legal trails?
Builder: I've started building rogue trails to mitigate conflicts with hikers and to fill the void of dedicated bike trails.
One of the first lines I built was an answer to our local authorities, who authorized our sports club to organize our marathon DH race for the fifth year but prohibited us from using the previous routes, mostly hiking paths.
The last line I started to clean is still a work in progress, and I started it because nothing else is "fun" enough in the area.
I tried to go through the process of building a legal trail back in the day in Italy. Still, I couldn't get anywhere because I was mostly alone, young, and had no real support from other members of the community. The money to finance the projects was always in someone else's pockets, who obviously was looking at an ROI differently than me. Eventually, something happened, but I cannot really claim anything.
The Legal Process for Building Trails in Italy and Austria
Sean: What is the process in your area for building sanctioned trails? (what is the legal process for building sanctioned trails?)
Builder: In both countries, lands are private. Most sanctioned trails are commercial products paid for by ski resorts, private landowners, or a combination of the two.
The municipality can also obtain the permits and finance the buildings or allow sports clubs to do it as volunteers, but it's pretty rare.
Sanctioned vs. Unsanctioned Trails: What Exists on the Ground
Sean: What is the ratio of sanctioned vs. unsanctioned trails in your area?
Builder: In my area in Italy, everything that is not in a bike park, is a grey area of hiking path where bikes are either tolerated or explicitly forbidden. Rogue lines are scarce.
My area in Austria has one sanctioned trail, a couple of bike parks, and a couple of abandoned rough lines. Bikes are forbidden (in theory) everywhere else.
How Illegal Mountain Bike Trails Are Perceived by Other Trail Users
Sean: How are illegal trails perceived in your region/state/country by the outdoor community? By the MTB community? Is there any recognition of legal bike-specific trails in your area outside of established bike parks?
Builder: Every mountain biker loves a good trail, legal or illegal. But except for a couple of young rouge builders, there is no rogue builders community. Opinions are divided; some new riders (including commercial bike guides) bike everything and don't care/think about the consequences, while others are more conscious and reserved in their activities.
Other user groups and landowners are opposed to illegal trails and think bikes can cause incredible damage to forests and lands.
Some groups strongly demand more bike parks or the legalization of popular hiking paths. The concept of an "almost year-long not lift-operated" trail center hasn't arrived yet.
In my area of Italy, there is no legal bike-specific trail, but there is one in my area of Austria.
Building on Private Land and the Risks of Rogue Trail Building
Sean: Whose land are you building on? Have you ever been caught?
Builder: Private lands, both in Italy and Austria. I've been caught in Italy, but not in Austria yet.
What Happens When Unsanctioned Trails Get Damaged or Removed
Sean: Have you had any of your trails destroyed because they were not sanctioned, and if so, does this affect how you build future trails?
Builder: Not destroyed, but damaged. I learned to build more stealthily, make less impact, move as little dirt as possible, and be sure that only trusted people would know about the trail.
Working With Trail Organizations as a Rogue Trail Builder
Sean: Do you work with your local trail organization? Why or why not?
Builder: I've joined a couple of digging days with the local (Austria) trail organization and wanted to offer more help, but due to conflict with my professional career, I stepped back. I'm a professional trail builder, trail designer, and consultant who focuses on sustainability and safety. I really couldn't approve of participating in adapting a fall-line hiking trail with logs and spiky branches to delimit the line, and I could only offer my advice so many times about the correct trail building methods and principles.
In Italy, there is no local trail organization.
Sean: Any crazy stories you want to tell?
Builder: A lot, but only related to my professional trail building work. Maybe let's save it for another time :)
Why Trail Variety Matters in Mountain Biking Access
Sean: We have all kinds of readers here at Trail Builder Magazine ... those who work for city, state/provincial, and federal governments, non-profit trail stewardship and advocacy organizations, professional and volunteer trail builders, and more.What message do you want to share with them?
Builder: Bikes and trails are a means to an end. Every style of mountain biking deserves its space and its trail, from easy green to fast DH, slow tech, enduro, blue flow, jumps, and so on. Do not forget or ignore styles you don't like or know. Every bike rider deserves fun. Trails must be fun.
Rogue/unsanctioned trail building is not the same everywhere. Great destinations couldn't exist without them (Finale, Madeira, etc.), while other locations basically banned mountain biking because of that. Some unsanctioned trails can provide the best riding experience ever. At that point, they deserve to be studied to understand the creativity in the building/routing, while too often, legal trails can be boring AF.
I don't know about you, but I'm sick of riding mediocre or bad trails.
Trails have to be serious fun.
Final Thoughts: Creativity, Conflict, and the Future of Unsanctioned Trails
Sean: What is one thing that is important for our readers to know about what you do and why?
Builder: The most important thing to know is that I like bikes and trails (and building trails) in my own way, which is different from yours and the other guys. Everyone likes mountain biking in their own way, and I feel like this enriches and keeps things alive, interesting, and fun.
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That concludes our interview. If you have a story to tell, drop me an email.
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Words: Sean Benesh Photos: Sean Benesh
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sean Benesh
Sean is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Trail Builder Mag. He is also the Communications Director for the Northwest Trail Alliance in Portland, Oregon. While in grad school, he worked as a mountain biking guide in Southern Arizona. Sean also spends time in the classroom as a digital media instructor at Warner Pacific University.
