We had the good fortune of connecting with Joe Gibson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Joe, can you tell us about an impactful book you’ve read and why you liked it or what impact it had on you?
One of the most influential books I’ve read is “Shop Class as Soulcraft” by Matthew Crawford. The book is a philosophical defense of the skilled trades and working with your hands, which has really resonated with me as I’ve pursued a career in trail work. My Trail Crew Stories project is in many ways an extension of the arguments from the book: that trail work is a skilled trade, often overlooked and under compensated, with a long legacy of tradition and institutional knowledge.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been building trails professionally for several years now, and in this niche field are some of the most fascinating people I have ever met. These are folks who perform extremely difficult physical labor in extreme outdoor environments for low pay and little recognition. Most of them couldn’t be happier. Trail work is as much a lifestyle as it is a career, and the people who pursue it are extraordinarily dedicated and passionate about the lands they protect and the quality of their craft.
I feel incredibly inspired by these folks I’ve met along the way, and I figured others might be inspired as well. Thus was born Trail Crew Stories, my project to document and explore the culture and craft of trail work. This project is still in its infancy, and I honestly don’t know exactly where it will lead. But it feels deeply important to me to record these stories, as they all build a greater culture of which I am a part. I think anyone who has set foot on a hiking trail has something to learn from this project. Many people don’t even realize that there are professional trail builders out there!
I still have a lot to figure out and there are certainly plenty of challenges ahead. Currently, I’m funding this project with my day job as a trail worker for the National Park Service. I spend my weekends and evenings writing and venturing out to track down fellow trail workers and hear their stories. I’m just living and breathing trails at this point. But I’m stoked on the project, and I really believe that it can grow into something super special. That’s what keeps me going.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My crew has been working on a project in Muir Woods National Monument, in Marin County California. So I would take them there. Most park rangers will be pointing up at the enormous trees in the park. But I’ll be pointing down at the trails. I would point out the rustic construction with whole redwood logs, an early example of the “parkitecture” style that influenced the rest of the National Park System. I would point out the gargantuan fallen redwood logs that the trail crew is going to roll into Redwood Creek using complex rigging equipment in order to create habitat for endangered Coho salmon. I would also explain that Muir Woods was once accessed by car and gravity railroad, but those roads and tracks have since been torn out and turned into hiking trails.
That’s day one of the weeklong trip. Day two, I would hand them a tool and put them to work on the trail. That gives them six days to get some solid work done.
Just kidding.
But not really.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have immense gratitude to my parents, Don and Carrie, who have offered steadfast support in my pursuit of this strange and esoteric career.
In trails, I’ve had many mentors over the years, and I’ve learned as much from my crew as I have from my bosses. But a few folks are worthy of special shout-outs: Edison, for making me realize how naive I was in 2016; Eamon, for inspiring me with both work ethic and land ethic; Hunter, for teaching me what high quality rock work should look like; Mary, for teaching me how to live at 12,000 ft; and Rudy, for showing me the literal ropes with advanced rigging setups.
Website: trailcrewstories.com
Instagram: @trailcrewstories
Image Credits
Chainsaw image courtesy of Kellon Spencer (IG @Kellon_spencer, kellonspencermedia.com). That is me (Joe Gibson) in the photo. All other photos by me (Trail Crew Stories / Joe Gibson)