The 13er Trio Medley

EvansB(13591)-August 6, 2025 and DyerMountain(13861)&WDyer(13056)-August 12, 2025

Since Ive been hiking in the Father Dyer area and reading about him, it was time for me to finish climbing the peaks in his neighborhood. I thought about hiking the trio of EvansB, DyerMountain & W Dyer in one trip but after considering the climbing difficulty described about DyerMountain(DM), I needed a day to devote to its challenges and another day to try out my eBike on Mosquito Pass. Perfect outdoor weather was predicted so via CO9, I drove to Mosquito Pass on August 6, 2025 with the stunning sunrise on my east(pic1).

At the TH, packed up and ready to go, I headed up to the rocky road(pic2). I followed a flattened line in the rocks up to the mine(pic3) and then the dirt surface kinda even out(pic4) up to the stagecoach sign(pic5). Also a granite marker described Father Dyers mission(pic5) and Mosquito Pass(13185) was the trail he transversed on foot and Norwegian skis weekly. Finding markers and historical informational signs is a fun contribution to hiking. If I know of a specific sign, like Mt Tweto(pic6) and Father Dyer Peak(pic7), it’s a motivational goal. Here, the trail split into 4 directions: Kuss(N), Leadville(W), backwards(E) and EvansB(S). I turned left(S) and biked as far as I could go. The remainder of the hike was on Class1 tundra hiking to the communication buildings(pic8) and after a couple teasing false summits(pic9), the trip was a Class2 wander through rocks and soon I was standing atop of EvansB(13591)(pic10). I simply reversed my descent by which I met another climber hiking the same route. I retrieved my bicycle and pretty much found a line back to the car. Technical it was, biking down saved me a bunch of time. I read storyboards and took pic11 of some of the houses that some of the miners had lived in.

A week later, August 12, I drove into Leadville via US24 to Iowa Gulch and parked in a small lot at the TH(11660). I didn’t take the eBike because according to Bills notes, the beginnings of the hike was not conducive for bicycle travel. I started on the trail L of the TH(pic12). The rough rocky road lasted a 1/2mile and at the big tailing pile(pic12), I took a sharp L through the willows to go up the steep hill. Heres pic13 of the sunrise cresting Sherman. At the saddle(pic14), I decided to climb DM first because it would take time and effort and I was feeling strong and fresh. From reading the trip reports, I worried about making it through all the described rocky obstacles on the ridge(pic15). Since I had an early start, I had all day to figure this out. One step at a time I found some paths of least resistance(pic16) and fun scrambling(pic17). And I summited DM(13861)(pic18). Pic19 is where I was last week. Next was WDyer(13056)(pic20); my summit pic21; flowers and mining cabin(pic22); and back to the car(pic23). Even though Sherman towered above me, I felt pretty big for finishing.

This trip finishes my writing on Father John Lewis Dyer(1812-1901)(pic24). My research and Dyer related visits are in Moonbeams in My Pocket(2025). Highly active in this area, he covered a lot of ground to preach his Methodist ways to help people live better lives. I admire him for persisting in his goal and how he positively affected the community he lived in. During my travels I will definitely run across his influences again. One question remains unanswered: in Wisconsin, he rode from town to town on a horse to preach and was known as the circuit rider minister. In Colorado he walked/skied from town to town and was called the Snowshoe Itinerant. Why did he not ride a horse here?

In sum, these 3 peaks were fun and doable climbs. I would repeat these 3 peaks. DM&WDyer were a satisfying combo pair and all were surrounded by spectacular views of the Tenmile and Mosquito range. Pic25-26 of flowers and mining. DMs ridge offered class3 challenges or more by which route you chose. Evans was 8m and DM&WDyer were 4 1/2m RT distance; all long enough to get blood flowing but short enough to be home by noon. Pic27 because I thought it was a cool pic when going up to DM ridge. Routefinding was near intuitive as EvansB was up the road and DM&WDyer was easy because if Sherman was looking over your right shoulder; you’re going the right way. I was into my own thoughts and my cadence was energetic and even. The day I was climbing was wonderfully noisy because I could hear climbers who summited Sherman cheering and I hope they heard me cheering too.