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Ryan Bahr has spent hours trekking through Utah's national parks this year, breathing heavily as the elevation increased, struggling to find footing as his legs grew weary.

He hopes those trips will prepare him for a hike to Havasupai Falls in the Grand Canyon next year, a 20-mile trip with little reprieve from the boiling desert sun.

Four years ago, trips like these were an unattainable dream for Bahr, now 21. But back then, he still had his right foot.

Bahr, a University of Utah student, was born with bilateral club feet. His right leg was always more severe than his left. Doctors finally amputated his right leg at mid calf about three years ago after seven corrective surgeries left him no closer to a normal life.

Now, Bahr can do things that were once impossible: running, biking, hiking and even skiing.

"People say 'Do you regret it?' " Bahr said. "Not one bit."

He signed on this year to be a counselor at the Amputee Coalition Paddy Rossbach Youth Camp in Ohio, to show kids with limb loss they can do all these things, too.

"If I can help a younger, new or even experienced amputee feel more comfortable, and like they fit in, I am happy," he said. "It makes me feel like I'm making a difference in this group of people."

The coalition's camp, which begins Friday, is for children ages 10 to 17 and offers activities such as fishing, swimming, zip lining, canoeing and archery.

The coalition covers all expenses for both counselors and campers. The camp began in 2000 and "inspires campers to take on new challenges, be independent, test themselves and build new friendships, according to a coalition news release.

"We saw, as a community, that we had a lot of services for adults living with limb loss, but didn't have anything for children," said Tonya Simpson, the coalition's director of peer support programs. "We wanted to provide a service and try to help address that need for families."

This year, 142 campers and 45 counselors from across the country will be attending the six-day camp.

This will be Bahr's first time at the camp. The same goes for 10-year-old Lydia Petrucka.

Lydia, from Springville, had her left leg amputated a third of the way up her shin about two years ago after a vascular malformation made it almost impossible to move her foot.

At the time, the pain was so intense she begged for an amputation.

Now, swimming has become one of Lydia's favorite activities: that, and jumping on the trampoline. She's also learning to ride a bike, though she admits that's a bit trickier.

"Life is a lot easier now," she said. "I can really get around now and the pain has decreased."

Lydia's family first learned about the camp two years ago, and she has been excitedly awaiting her 10th birthday so she could attend.

Just days before departing for Ohio, Lydia said she is most excited about meeting other kids her age with amputations.

But six days away from her three-legged dog, Clover, will be difficult.

"I will miss my dog … a lot," she said. "She helps me a lot when feeling sad."

astuckey@sltrib.com

Twitter @alexdstuckey