Backpacker Magazine – January/February 2010

Inspirational BACKPACKER Readers

Meet five of BACKPACKER's most inspirational heroes–they're also readers.

Tags:
• Destinations
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• Skills
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• Gear
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Life Changer | Believer | Mentor | Explorer | Survivor

LIFE CHANGER
Sue Enlow West Covina, CA


Motivated by views, hiker gets fit.


“I fell in love instantly,” says Enlow, recalling the first hike she took along the rim of Utah’s Bryce Canyon. “It hit me like a lightning bolt—I wanted to get down into that canyon. But, I was grossly overweight and knew I could never climb back out.” Enlow returned home on a Saturday and was in the gym on Monday morning. Eight months later—and 65 pounds lighter—she hiked 40 miles in Zion National Park. At 92 pounds lost, she hiked the Grand Canyon’s South Kaibab Trail. Then, last July, she celebrated losing her 100th pound by climbing California’s 11,501-foot San Gorgonio Mountain. “I’ve seen more than I ever thought possible,” she says. “I’m not the same person I was. Hiking has given me a new life, full of energy, fun, and adventure.”


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