Trailbuilding as Art and Science
An Interview with Matt Rose of Wildwood Trailworks
In the spring of 2020, Ravenwing Developer Rob Hubbard began asking around about trailbuilders. He knew he wanted about four miles of trails traversing Ravenwing’s Dry Gulch and Columbia River waterfront, and he knew he wanted them to be exceptionally well-done. More than once, he was told there was really only one person for the job, and that person was Matt Rose. A passionate, conscientious trailbuilder at the heart of renowned trail systems including Squilchuck State Park, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust’s Wenatchee Foothills complex, and US Forest Service properties at Number Two Canyon and Leavenworth Ski Hill, Rose has made an indelible imprint on local recreation. And he’s done it all by being, well, a little particular.
“I’ve been known to re-route a trail around a bunch of flowers, just because I liked them,” Rose laughs. “And it’s true that the aesthetics of trailbuilding are extremely important to me. But there’s a different way to view a patch of flowers—from a naturalist’s standpoint. There’s slope, there’s water, there’s sun exposure. When you observe nature closely, as I do, it will tell you a lot about where to walk, and where to not.”
Hubbard invited Rose out to walk the property. The unique challenge Ravenwing offered, combined with Hubbard’s compelling vision and commitment to craft, ultimately got Rose on board. “I was just finishing up Squilchuck, where it’s all forest and close quarters. And here, the landscape just rolls—it’s all sage and rock and the big, blue ribbon of the Columbia. I knew it was an opportunity to do something different, for someone who clearly prioritized the same things I did.”
Rose got to work. For him, this starts not with maps or satellite imagery (those come later) but rather, mindfully walking the land. Hubbard joined him for the first few weeks, sharing the sites and spots he had frequented most over the years of living on-property. They talked style, sustainability and site-sourced materials. They talked inspiration, such as Whistler’s community trail system, and the enduring, Depression-era trails in Hood River constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Trust was gained, and the fit was right—Hubbard told Rose he had the go-ahead to carve into the earth at Ravenwing.
Rose at the edge of Dry Gulch, looking south
Rose walking below the newly listed model home in The Bluffs
How Rose approaches trailbuilding is a reflection of his diverse sensibilities. Raised in an active, Washington State logging family and with a degree in Natural History, Rose exudes a deep comfort with the outdoors and broad-based knowledge of native plants and animals. His working life went another direction, and he spent the majority of his career building precision temperature and pressure sensors for the aerospace industry.
“My work leading precision machinists was rewarding, but stressful. It was a completely human-constructed environment, and while I’ve always been impressed with our collective ingenuity, it was a pretty contrived and sterile place to be. Trailbuilding on nights and weekends was how I found balance—I loved the challenge of determining how to artfully place a trail into the natural world in a way that didn’t feel forced. Nature provides the confines, and I provide the creativity,” Rose explains.
Looking west up Dry Gulch at footbridge built by Indiana-based Big R Bridges
Looking north toward The Bluffs
The entrance to the Riverfront Trail
Rose inspecting one of his many hand-crafted retaining walls
Rose working on the small, lower bridge across Dry Gulch
Rose estimates he’s about 75% complete with the first phase of planning and placing trails at Ravenwing. He’s currently working on a small, lower bridge across Dry Gulch and putting together a strategy for trail maintenance and expansion moving forward. Activity is increasing at Ravenwing, with two owner builds in process and several others nearing the groundbreaking stage. Rose is eagerly anticipating increased foot traffic on the trails, as owners take advantage of this important, foundational amenity.
“Ravenwing trails have to run the gamut. The grading is critical, because you don’t know who folks are going to be. Are they runners? Grandparents chasing after grandkids? People with some physical limitations who still want an approachable way to interact with the land? I’m always factoring in the human element, and what it feels like to round that corner, pass that rock wall, or work to gain a little elevation and a surprisingly different viewpoint,” says Rose.
Rose on-trail, with two owner builds in the distance
“My philosophy is that when the site is right, roots grow deep,” Rose adds. “There are a couple of parts to that. First, there’s the actual sustainability of the trail structure, and that way that natural processes stabilize it over time. Second, there’s a human connection to a place that gives you a real, rooted feeling when you’re out walking. Quality trails do both.”
Rose concludes, “The way I see it, Hubbard is a guy who is doing it right. These trails are an important part of what is happening at Ravenwing, but only a part. It’s going to be really interesting to see how people’s connection to the land shapes and sustains this place. But one thing I know for sure is getting people outside is a good thing, and good trails make that happen.”
