About Barbara Sammut
Barbara grew up in Michigan and earned both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University. Her love for hiking began while studying abroad in Cape Town, where she spent her free time exploring the trails around Table Mountain. After graduating, she thru-hiked the Pacific Crest Trail - an adventure that sparked her passion for long-distance backpacking and earned her the trail name Forklift. Soon after, she followed her trail partner to North Idaho, where she quickly felt right at home. Barbara loves spending her summers and winters backpacking, creating videos of her adventures on her YouTube channel, Forklift Hikes. In 2024, she completed the Appalachian Trail and soon after joined ITA, and soon after joined ITA, eager to give back to the trails and advocate for access to public lands. She enjoys hiking, running, climbing, road biking, snowshoeing, skiing/snowboarding, and exploring her creative side through art projects. She especially loves contributing to ITA’s Women in the Wild program and inspiring youth to get outside and discover the outdoors.
