Jul 17, 2019
A calculated investment in singletrack in the mid-2000s solidified Moab, Utah, as a singletrack destination at a time when the town’s recreation planners could either respond to neighboring communities’ MTB-specific development or fade into the desert sunset with its 4x4 and double-track routes. Thanks in part to his skillful rock work on the iconic Captain Ahab, trailbuilder and Moab native Tyson Swasey was part of the town’s renaissance as a singletrack destination. Canyon country demands that trailbuilders not be undaunted by the heavy lifting required in rocky terrain, and Swasey is a perfect match. “He has a masterful eye for interpreting the landscape,” says Richard Edwards, IMBA Trail Solutions’ director of construction and operations. “Tyson is great at using rock work, not to sanitize, but to build a way through and leave a lot of texture and flavor to the trail.” Swasey is now a staff member for the newly formed Grand County Active Transportation and Trails Department based out of Moab and previously served as a trails specialist for IMBA Trails Solution. Through that experience, he has become one of the most respected trailbuilders in the country. In this episode, he talks about his relationship with the land and the importance of trails to the mountain bike community.