Ryan McLaughlin

Ryan McLaughlin is the founder of Loam, a trail conditions app that predicts whether ground is dry enough to ride or hike without causing damage. Loam models soil moisture for more than 1,500 mountain bike and hiking networks across the US and Canada, combining rainfall data, USDA soil survey composition, satellite-derived canopy cover, and terrain slope to answer a question most people guess at. He can speak to trail erosion and the mechanics of wet-weather trail damage, recreation impact on public lands, consumer weather and environmental modeling, and how soil type determines how long a trail stays fragile after a storm. A former product designer, he built and shipped Loam solo, launching on the App Store in June 2026 and expanding to Android the following month.