Moonbeams in My Pockets

Father Dyer Peak, Crystal and Peak10. Sept 18, 2024

Hiking in the moonlight was a compelling idea but after the partial lunar eclipse was the plan. To see the full show, I wrapped myself up in a quilt to lay in the basket swing at the playground. Somewhere during the big event I dozed off. I woke about 3ish because the bright moon was staring at me(pic1). Still early, I would have time to climb the combo and good news, bluebird skies were predicted.

Father Dyer had piqued my curiosity for awhile so I was looking forward to learning about him. Most human notables have one mountain named after them but Dyer had 2: this mountain & Dyer Mountain. Also a mining town called Dyersville which he built along Indiana Creek near Boreas Pass. Abandoned in the 1900s, it housed Warriors Mark Mine, store, school and the Angels Rest Saloon. FYI: grizzly bears have 5peaks and 1 mountain for them (Cupid & Grizzly Bear Hugs-2021).

Two miles S of Breckinridge was the Spruce Creek Road access; up the hill, turn L and 1.2m was the parking lot(pic2). The moonlit drive(pic3) felt surreal but the temps were winterish(pic4). When I stepped outside, the quiet was so silent, I could hear the blood pulsating through my head. Given a chance to mountain bike, I left the TH(pic5-6) to pedal (pic7-8) to upper Spruce Creek TH to the Wheeler Trail sign(pic9). By then, the sun was waking. I turned R at the junction onto Aqueduct road, went around the gate(pic10) and in 50yards, I stashed my bike under a pine tree and turned L onto Wheeler Trail #39(pic11). Moving through the forest, the single dirt trail was a pleasant hike up to treeline(pics12-13-14-15). It was Class1with gentle up and downs and elevation gain. Obviously I missed the unmarked trail to Helen’s. Middlebrook said it was 100yards from the sign but I never saw it both passes. Pic16 when getting on the 4WD road.

Exiting treeline, Helens was mightily to my L(pic17) and I could clearly see the horseshoe loop for Father Dyer, Crystal and onto planB, Peak10. Dyed by the morning sunlight, I followed the yellow double track dirt road where it dead ended into a couple gates with a sign identifying Crystal Lake Trail #44. The lake was straight ahead(pic18). The lake and its benevolent peak was named for its teal blue amazonite and smoky quartz crystal combination gems. By now the sun was moving higher and the fall floral and fauna in the basin were yellowish too. Pic19 of Father Dyers Nside. I felt like a sunflower.

The route to the gully was straight ahead. The talus in the gully was a bit loose(pic20) to get to Dyers E side but it was manageable. It quickly bent R into a path of sorts through the grass, rock and bushes(pic21). After I blew kisses to the marmot(pic22), it was an obvious ridgeline adventure to the peak(pic23). I was ready to tackle this terrain and took this as a personal challenge that used my experience, knowledge from reading trip reports and judgement. I had all day so time was on my side. After tackling the first hump, I couldn’t take pictures because the Class 3 climb was confirmed. This ascent demanded concentration, 2hands, using handholds, balance and scooting on my butt. When I did land on the ridge, there was a path but pretty much when in doubt, I stayed on the S side of the ridge. I’m standing at a cairn looking back east(pic24) and an almost there pic(25) still pinning on Father Dyer Peak.

When I finally summited, I looked back at those chunky rocks. I had successfully navigated the right route through all the chunky challenges. What an accomplishment to stand on top of this summit(13642)(pic26). What made it really rewarding was touching the commemorative plaque to Father Dyer(pic27). Its like a reward to find markers and/or register logs. The sad part was the tube register was empty(pic28).

From there the going was easier. The Class2 ridgewalk to Crystal(13852)was fast on a noticeable trail(pic29). Heres my summit pics30-31. Also traveling to Peak10(13633) was a welcome Class 2 ridgewalk(pic32) and my summit pic33. Heres a pic34 of the zigzagged service road up to Peak10 which I gotta try with the mountain bike someday. While I was contemplating the events of the day I wondered if Father Dyer climbed any of his namesake peaks. During my research I found no evidence of him doing so. After savoring the fall views(pic35) and patting myself on the back 3times, I hiked the service road a bit(pic36) and then beelined a path on the walkways through the willows back to Crystal Lake(pic37). I retraced my steps, marveled at the golden aspens along the way and hopped on the bike to cruise down the hill to the car.

Father John Lewis Dyer (1812-1901) was a traveling Methodist preacher(pic38) mailcarrier and miner. From Minnesota, he mostly walked to Colorado in1859 to see the Rocky Mountains because he thought he was loosing his eyesight. Miraculously he was healed after staring at Pikes Peak and chose to save others from grief and hardship in CO. In reality he spent 20+ years trying to cure debauchery, drunkiness and gambling. In 1881 he moved to Castle Rock to quietly retire with his wife, Lucinda(1830-1888) on their ranch. Failing health forced him to live with his daughters family in Denvers University Park. He is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery(pic39). Pics of his gravesite(40-41-42).

Preacher was his alias but in reality he was a mountain man. He transversed Mosquito Pass weekly from Alma to Leadville(Oro City) year round from Buckskin Joe(1860). The long mountain winters necessitated winter gear. 10-foot long Norwegian snowshoes were his trademark and why he is immortalized in stained glass as the Snow-Shoe Itinerant in the dome at the Capital building(pic43). Civility did work in Breckinridge in 1880. Ironically, that year marked the end of the Mountain Man Era. He built his Father Dyer United Methodist Church and today with some renovations the parish offers services.

In sum this combo of 3 was doable and fun. Highly exposed and slow but steady, getting to Dyer made for a long and satisfying day. Route finding consisted getting on the right trail and road to Crystal Lake but from there the 3peaks were easy to find. The varied surfaces from Class1 typical forest trails to Class3 blocky rocks was a welcome inclusion. A roundtrip of 10ish miles, it wasn’t long in mileage but the majority of my time was climbing Dyer: not real difficult but required a hefty amount of concentration and scrambling technique. From there, Crystal & Peak10 was easy breathing with attentiveness. I would recommend to circle clockwise as starting on the hardest part is easier when fresh.

Throughout the years I have visited historic sites, rendezvous and read about Mountain Men: Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, Louis Vasquez, Willam Bent, John Colter. They were a tough bunch and Dyer, equal in lifestyle but differed by carrying the Methodist ministry over 13000foot mountains to towns rather than beaver pelts. No matter who I read about it never ceases to amaze me by the distances they traveled by foot.