Climbing Some Mountains

Last weekend we came up with a great idea, we were going to do some peak-bagging. We were going to hike and climb mountains and make it to several peaks in one day. We were super excited, hopeful, and ready to start moving upwards.

Our plan was to start by hiking the American Fork Twin Peaks followed by a later summit of Mount Timpanogos. This would add up to roughly 8500 feet of elevation gain over the span of 26 ish miles. We knew it was going to make for a long day, but we were excited for the challenge.

I recently gave a description of our adventure to the American Fork Twin Peaks on The Outbound Collective here. It is meant as somewhat of a guide if any of you guys decided to take the same route up as we did.

"The trail begins at Silver Lake Flat Reservoir. Ditch your car and follow the road on foot past the north side of the lake, cross the stream, and continue up the road for approximately 0.7 miles. The road begins climbing the ridge and becomes inaccessible for cars. Enjoy your hike through the forests of pine, aspens, and abundant wildlife. Continue for another 3 miles until you reach a gate blocking the wider road as it opens up to a large basin. At the gate, take the trail to the left of the "road". This trail marks the beginning of the true climb in this hike.

You will gain elevation quickly as you follow the trail along the ridgeline toward the peaks high above. Take your time as you climb to above 11,000 ft. and approach the peaks. Once you've made the summit, you'll find several other peaks within reach. Enjoy some peak bagging while managing small saddles dipping approximately 150 feet between summits. Once you're peak'd out, follow the steep trail back towards the gate and follow the road back down to the parking area.

You will be rewarded for your climb on this mountain. For the adventurous, this provides a much better option than the tram ride to the top of Snowbird Resort or a walk up the slopes. Enjoy the working the back way up the mountain for some of the best views in the state! This hike is approximately 12 miles roundtrip, depending on how many peaks you bag."

Our timing was perfect. The colors in the mountains were vibrant and kept us inspired on our climbs.

Taking a breather on our way down from the AF Twins

The views from the summit were great, as expected.

 Getting both of the twins took longer of expected, and was delayed by injury on the way down.

Mount Timpanogos in the background from the top of American Fork Twin 1.

The AF Twins took longer than expected, and we didn't get back to the car (basecamp) until 5:00. We were determined, though, and started our way up Timp at about 6:00. It was dark, cold, windy, and we could only see what our headlamps illuminated. We were tired and delirious, and hilarity ensued. We slept well that night.

After a day of relaxation, we were ready for our next adventure..