Outdoor Allies: Sahir Enriquez

Ever wondered how you can do more for public lands but you aren’t sure where to start? Outdoor Alliance’s Outdoor Allies series explores how other outdoor adventurers got their start in advocacy work and their advice for how you can harness your passion for the outdoors into advocacy for the land and water you love. Sahir is a first-generation immigrant from Mexico who grew up in the shadows of the Tetons. He works with several non-profits (Coombs Outdoors and Camina Conmigo Collaborative) in Jackson, Wyoming, to remove barriers to outdoor recreation for underrepresented folks. He is on track to American Mountain Guide Association guide certification and has always lived and worked in the Rockies.

Tell us about your relationship with the outdoors – what do you like to do outside?

My relationship with the outdoors is one of wonder and gratitude. I find that most of my formative experiences have happened while being outside—my curiosity peaks when I am in a new outdoor place. I am grateful for all the places I have seen and the people I have met while recreating outside. I like to climb, ski, trail run, and take new people into the outdoors so they too can experience the natural spaces which belong to all of us.

How did you first get involved with Coombs Outdoors and can you tell us a little more about that program and why it works so well?

I first got involved with Coombs outdoors two years ago as a volunteer. My wife and I would chaperone and mentor participants in outdoor pursuits. The program has worked so well in our community because there is a large population of first-generation immigrants that typically do not have access to opportunities to recreate outside. There are financial and knowledge barriers that prevent a lot of first-generation Latinx immigrants from getting outside. Coombs Outdoors has made it possible for kids and parents to be able to access these spaces. Many of the opportunities that Coombs offers were never available to me when I was growing up in Jackson. Skiing and hiking are such a huge reason why people move to Jackson that being able to participate in these activities allows individuals to be more integrated into the community.

Along with bringing historically excluded kids into outdoor recreation, you’ve been working to bring Latinx adults in your community into outdoor recreation. What’s your vision for what these programs can do, not just for the individuals who participate on them, but for the broader outdoor space/community/culture?

My vision is to show that historically underrepresented people have a stake in the outdoors. Our unique perspective is warranted and needed to make the world a more inclusive and fairer place.

If you could go back in time to talk to your younger self about getting involved in the outdoors, what would you say?

I would tell a young person that was excited about outdoor activities to stick with it. At first, your family and friends will not understand, but eventually, you will find mentors or friends who also are excited about the outdoor activity you are pursuing. Often, you feel like you are the only one, but know that others like yourself in this large and diverse country.

Lighting round

Favorite place to get outside: the Alpine

Another activist you admire: I admire the work of Rodel Querubin, who has been instrumental in bringing historically marginalized people into the sport of climbing.

Most used piece of gear you have: Black totem cam