Founders’ Story – Protect and Preserve American Fork Canyon

The movement to protect American Fork Canyon began with a simple act of outreach. Brad Frost, long devoted to the canyon’s watershed and open spaces, was the first to contact Mark Allen when plans emerged for a massive ski resort expansion and controversial land swaps in the canyons adjoining American Fork. Recognizing the threat to clean water, recreation, and the natural character of the canyon, the two quickly joined forces.

Their efforts soon merged with those of renowned photographer Willie Holdman, whose powerful imagery and voice for conservation gave the movement a broader reach. With Brad’s leadership, Mark’s organizing, and Willie’s artistry, their collaboration blossomed into a grassroots campaign that rapidly grew to more than 10,000 members.

Together, they co-founded Protect and Preserve American Fork Canyon and helped establish the American Fork Canyon Alliance, where Brad serves as Vice Chair and Willie as a board member. Their combined efforts not only mobilized thousands but also shaped policy: Brad played a key role in surveying and purchasing land on Miller Hill, and as mayor, advanced resolutions to protect the watershed and resist economic encroachment. Willie’s photographs became a rallying point, showing Utahns the fragile beauty of the canyon and inspiring action to defend it.

In 2022, when Forest Road 085 washed out, the canyon faced another challenge. With little orientation from the Forest Service on how to repair the road, Mark Allen organized a site visit with Utah County leaders including Sheriff Mike Smith, Commissioner Brandon Gordon, Public Works Director Richard Nelson, Surveyor Anthony Canto, and Travis Anderson. After publishing the urgent need for repairs, Mark was contacted by Brett Stewart, who identified a source of state OHV funding. Mark then mobilized user groups to send letters of support, helping Utah County secure the necessary funds. Thanks to this collaboration, the road has been repaired and is expected to reopen for travel in Fall 2025.

This success was made possible not only by the founders but also by the broad support of groups and individuals working both independently and cooperatively to protect the canyon: Kurt Williams and Expedition Utah, Brian Twyman and B.O.A.R., David Lynton of Search and Rescue, and many others who have played significant roles.

Brad, Willie, and Mark have always acknowledged that divine intervention played the greatest role in preserving American Fork Canyon. Yet they also stress that preservation requires continued vigilance—calling on citizens to remain involved and for stewardship to be instilled in the rising generation so that the canyon’s natural beauty and vital resources endure.

 ABOUT BRAD FROST

Brad Frost has been a lifelong advocate for American Fork Canyon, a place he considers central to the identity and future of his community. His love for the canyon spans decades of recreation, exploration, and stewardship.

Brad was the first to reach out to Mark Allen in efforts to thwart a massive ski resort expansion and controversial land swaps in adjoining canyons. Their early collaboration quickly grew when they joined forces with renowned photographer Willie Holdman, and together they helped build a grassroots movement that swelled to more than 10,000 members dedicated to protecting the canyon.

As part of these efforts, Brad contributed to the surveying and purchase of land on Miller Hill, securing critical open space and strengthening the community’s voice in safeguarding natural resources. Through the American Fork Canyon Alliance, where he serves as Vice Chair, Brad has continued to champion conservation and responsible access, ensuring the canyon remains a refuge for clean water, recreation, and natural beauty.

Even in his role as mayor of American Fork, Brad’s leadership has been defined not by development pressure but by resolutions to protect the watershed and prevent economic encroachment, keeping long-term preservation at the forefront of public policy.

For Brad, American Fork Canyon is more than scenery—it is a legacy worth protecting for generations to come.

ABOUT WILLIE HOLDMAN

Willie Holdman is a native Utahn whose passion for nature and visual art was kindled early—he assisted his father, Floyd Holdman, on National Geographic assignments as a child, and went on to earn a BFA with emphasis in photography from BYU. Willie Holdman Photographs+1 From his home at the base of Mt. Timpanogos, he ventures deep into Utah’s backcountry—alpine meadows, red rock deserts, hidden canyons—to find moments of light and quiet that most never see. Willie Holdman Photographs+1

Willie’s work is an expression of respect for the land: he treats photography not merely as documentation, but as a dialogue with the Earth—patient, vulnerable, and present. Willie Holdman Photographs+1 He leads immersive workshops (rafting the Grand Canyon, exploring Capitol Reef) to share his methods, guiding others into remote terrain where a story can only be told by someone willing to walk farther, wait longer, and listen.

ABOUT MARK STEWART ALLEN

 

Mark Stewart Allen is a Utah community advocate, state and county delegate, and constitutional watchdog who has built his reputation on standing up for fairness, transparency, and accountability. Known for confronting unconstitutional situations without hesitation, Allen has consistently fought on behalf of everyday citizens—earning respect as a true advocate for the “little guy.”

Mark’s leadership has produced tangible results. He initiated legislation to make yurts legally recognized in Utah (HB0297), expanding recreation opportunities while protecting responsible land use. More recently, he has been drafting legislation for the 2026 session to improve transparency in Utah’s courts, including the creation of a Brady/Giglio list to hold prosecutors, attorneys, and judges to the same accountability standards as law enforcement.

He is also advancing a bill to reform temporary restraining orders, requiring allegations to be signed under penalty of perjury. If such allegations are later proven false, the accuser’s personal property, job earnings, or assets could be subject to liens or garnishment—ensuring that the innocent are protected from harm.

Allen’s advocacy is fueled by lived experience: he has survived four separate false prosecutions, which he describes as “quadruple jeopardy.” These trials of resilience have strengthened his resolve to correct the record and build safeguards so that others are not unjustly targeted.

Beyond legislation, Mark co-founded Protect and Preserve American Fork Canyon alongside Brad Frost and Willie Holdman, mobilizing more than 10,000 citizens to defend the canyon’s watershed and open spaces from overdevelopment. He continues to champion stewardship, civic involvement, and reform, believing that citizens—and especially the rising generation—must stay engaged to preserve both their rights and their natural heritage.

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