Peak-Bagging the Wasatch: Red Baldy to American Fork Twin Peaks Loop

I set out on a solo ridge traverse in Utah’s Wasatch Range, starting from Silver Lake Reservoir in American Fork Canyon. This challenging loop hike passes two beautiful alpine lakes—Silver Lake and Silver Glance Lake—before climbing steeply onto the high ridge. From there, I linked up a series of rugged summits: Red Baldy, Red Top (also called Red Stack), American Fork Twin Peaks, and Geek Peak, before descending back down to the trailhead. With big elevation gain, exposed terrain, and nonstop views, this was one of the most rewarding solo hikes I’ve done in the Wasatch.

The terrain along the ridge was a mix of loose rock, scrambles, and knife-edge sections in places, with sweeping views of American Fork Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, and the alpine peaks beyond. Just below the summit of Red Top, I hit one of the most unexpected and memorable moments of the day — thousands of orangish-red butterflies swarming the ridge. They fluttered through the air like snowflakes in every direction, dancing around the rocks and ridgeline grasses. It was surreal and totally peaceful, and I stood there longer than I planned just watching them fly.

As I made my way toward American Fork Twin Peaks, I couldn’t help but think about the WURL (Wasatch Ultimate Ridge Linkup). I could see most of the WURL from the ridgeline, and this route combined with several others that I've done in the area made me realize how much I enjoy long, exposed ridge days — and how far I’d need to go to train for something like the WURL. It’s a massive goal, but this loop made it feel a little more within reach. Who knows, maybe with enough training, it could be challenge I'm ready to take on in the future.

Distance: 11.03 miles round trip
Elevation gain: 4,818 feet

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