He knows what it takes to maintain a massive MTB trail system

Behind the scenes, it takes a lot of planning and hard work to keep a massive trail network like Coldwater Mountain in great shape. That responsibility falls to Marcus Tillman, who works with the Northeast Alabama Bicycle Association and the city of Anniston as Recreation Trails Director for Coldwater Mountain. Today we’ll hear from Marcus about what it takes to maintain such a large system, what’s involved, and what’s in store for riders in the coming months. In this episode we ask: What does a recreation trails director aka "trail boss" do on a day-to-day basis? How much maintenance is involved in keeping up a trail system the size of Coldwater Mountain? Are you able to rely on volunteers to accomplish a significant amount of the work? Can you give us a little history of Coldwater Mountain and how the trail system came to be? What’s one thing you wish riders knew that would make your job easier? For an experienced rider visiting Coldwater for the first time, what route do you recommend? How are you preparing the trails for the big Lifetime race happening in October? How do you ensure trails are safe and that emergency services have access to the trails? Coldwater is open to e-bikes. Have you had any issues with speeding, user conflicts, or trail impact? An automated transcript will be available at Singletracks.com later today. This episode is sponsored by Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce . If you’re looking for your next mountain bike destination that offers just about everything, put Sandpoint, Idaho at the top of your list! The Lower Basin trail system serves up world-class riding through towering timber and across massive granite rock slabs, with trails for every rider — from technical black diamond descents to fast, flowy cross-country loops. For excellent park-style riding, head up to Schweitzer Mountain Resort with dedicated downhill trails and e-bike access to more than two dozen trails. Or pedal from town to the Pine Street Woods trail system where the trails range from flowy to technical. When you’re ready to take a break from the trails, Lake Pend Oreille is right there for camping, boating, swimming, or even standup paddleboarding. And after a big day outdoors, head into the town of Sandpoint where you'll find a great selection of bars and restaurants to relax and refuel. Get all the details to plan your perfect getaway at ⁠visitsandpoint.com⁠ . The trails and the good times are waiting for you when you Visit Idaho!

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He knows what it takes to maintain a massive MTB trail system is an episode from Singletracks Mountain Bike Podcast by Singletracks.com.

This episode is 01:19:45 long.

This episode was published on Sep 9, 2025.

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