Luz Lara: What Makes a Difference
“That first spike was like, ‘Shit, this is hard, but fuck, this is beautiful.’”
Gallery: Jack London State Historic Park
“I hope you brought an extra pair of shoes," Cedric told me as I clambered into a creaking Ford Ranger with a fading State Parks decal emblazoned on the side. "It's really muddy out there.”
Gallery: Stapelveldt Trail, Muir Woods National Monument
The Redwood Creek Crew tackled a burly repair of a washout in winter 2022-2023.
Jonathan Baxter: Globetrotter
“We were flying by the seat of our pants, trying to figure it out as we went. But it was amazing. The people there were just like some of the most larger-than-life people I've ever met.”
Mountain Theater: An Exhibition of Stonework
Mountain Theater in Marin County, CA, is one of the finest examples of Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) rockwork in the country.
Trevor Taylor: Trails to Community
“There's a cultural shift happening in the outdoor and conservation world. We need to shift and start talking about things as community-focused. If we lose sight of who's using the trails or who can use the trails, then I think the work we do becomes a moot point.”
Victoria Vandervort: Between a Crosscut and a Log
“I feel like the outdoors is the only place I can get a hundred percent silence, and I feel like that's when I can actually think. Sometimes I have phrases that just get repeated in my head when I'm banging up a trail six miles trying to find the next log to cut. I think about that phrase and then somehow a piece of art will come to mind.”
Christina Morse: Feeding Others, and Being Fed Upon
“We need cooks. Packers too. We need help. It’s getting harder to find people. The wages of these jobs are not really keeping up with what’s going on in the world. A lot of people are leaving because of it. That’s the real and sad truth.”
Otzma-Bie Paz: On Ego and Ethics
“Crew leading really teaches you so much about people and leadership in general. Every person is different. Every crew is different. Every project is different. It's really hard. It teaches you a lot about yourself.”
Gabino Lopez: Passion for Stone
“As long as you lay strong, it could work. Anything works. And that's the beauty about stonework. You can make something out of your hands, and if you build it right, then it's everlasting.”
Amber Winsor: Freedom Beyond the Cubicle
“I remember feeling like my soul was getting sucked out through the computer and my entire essence was turning the beige of my cubicle. And I was like, I gotta fucking get outta here.”
David Linares: Work Dogs Work!
“I was inspired to base my works off of the struggles that come physically with working; as well as making the effort to capture those euphoric moments that come with realizing the lands for which you work.”
Mike Snyder: 28 Years and Counting
“If I could, I would do this for a lot longer. It’s been about 28 years of doing trail work. Happy, happy life.”
Trail Shop: Battery Springer
Tucked away in a hillside cypress grove on the northwest corner of San Francisco, the trails shop at Golden Gate National Recreation Area repurposes old military bunkers to store tools and equipment for the Golden Gate Trail Crew.