Building Trails: The Unseen Effort Behind Every Hike

In the southern part of Patagonia, a well-known trail leads up a mountain to a stunning lake. This trail was created over many years by climbers who wanted to reach the top of Argentina's Fitz Roy peaks. These climbers would go straight up the mountain from their camp near the Rio Blanco river. In the 1990s, more hikers started coming to see the beautiful emerald lake surrounded by rocks and ice. The trail became known as Laguna de los Tres, or "Lake of the Three Peaks. " Over the next 30 years, the number of visitors to the nearby town of El Chaltén grew from about 30 a day to 3, 000. As more people walked on the trail, it became wider and more damaged, like a two-lane highway. Jed Talbot and Willie Bittner are experts in building trails. They use special tools to find the best path for a new trail. Talbot likes to explore the area first before planning the trail. He believes that the landscape should guide the trail, not a pre-drawn map. Talbot has worked on many important trail projects, including in Patagonia. He was recently hired to redesign the Laguna de los Tres trail. The current trail is steep and damaged, making it hard and dangerous to hike. Talbot wants to create a trail that is easier on the environment and more enjoyable for hikers. Building trails is not just about making a path. It's about understanding how water, wind, and people affect the trail. A good trail should help rainwater flow away and prevent erosion. Many old trails were not built with these ideas in mind. Mountain bikers have played a big role in promoting sustainable trail building. They have created guidelines for building trails that are good for the environment and fun to use. Talbot has been building trails for many years. He started in college and has since worked on projects all over the world. He loves the challenge and satisfaction of creating something that helps people and protects nature. Today, the trail building industry is growing. More people are looking for ways to enjoy nature, and trails are a great way to do that. However, building trails in wild areas can be very difficult. It requires a lot of hard work and skill. A well-built trail can make hiking feel effortless and enjoyable. Talbot and Bittner took a journalist on a hike to show how their trails are designed. They explained how the trail's twists and turns keep hikers engaged and help them appreciate the surroundings. A good trail can also make hikers feel like they are exploring, not just following a path. However, not everyone understands the importance of sustainable trails. Some hikers prefer the "raw" and "natural" look of damaged trails. They don't realize that these trails are actually harming the environment. Talbot hopes that by building better trails, more people will appreciate and want to protect nature. The redesign of the Laguna de los Tres trail is facing some challenges. Local community members are protesting a new all-terrain-vehicle trail nearby. This has put the trail project on hold. If the new trail is built, it will be easier on the environment and more enjoyable for hikers. It will also help the mountain heal from the damage caused by the old trail.