By Land Podcast
Welcome to the By Land Podcast! My name is Emory, and this show is all about having real, honest conversations with experienced adventurers, outdoor experts, and everyday people who love spending time outside. My goal is to help you feel inspired, informed, and confident to take on your own outdoor adventures—whether you're into backpacking, hiking, hunting, camping, or just getting started.
I cover a wide range of topics like practical outdoor skills, gear, conservation, mindset, and personal growth. Each episode offers something different—whether it’s an inspiring story, hard-earned lessons, or actionable advice to help you build confidence and develop the backcountry skills you need to explore further and adventure better.
By Land is about learning, growing, and making the most of our time in the outdoors. If you’re into that kind of thing, you’re in the right place.
By Land Podcast
#87 - How Trails Are Designed and Built with Tyler Lau
Tyler Lau is an experienced member of trail crews and even teaches how to build trails correctly. In this episode, we dive into how trails are designed, built, and maintained. We also chat about the do’s and don’ts and where we, as hikers, can help keep trails in their proper conditions so trail crews can attend to other trails needing maintenance.
We also discuss diversity in the outdoors. Tyler is the first person of color to complete the Calendar Year Triple Crown and I wanted to take the opportunity to find out what Tyler’s experience has been and how he sees diversity in the outdoor industry.
Show Notes and Links
- Introductions
- Catching up with Tyler since EP 69
- Diversity in the outdoors and Tyler’s personal experiences
- How to think about trail building
- Scouting a trail
- What makes a “good grade”
- “Flagging” a trail for rework or future work
- How trails are physical made
- Deciding trail widths and tread
- Trail building tools: the cross cut saw
- Bridge building
- Cutting Switchbacks
- The cost of trail crews
- How to learn more about trail building
- Following up with Tyler
- https://www.instagram.com/hikingprodigy
- https://www.facebook.com/hikingprodigy/
Thanks for listening! Check out the links below to learn more, connect, and support the show.
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