Father Dyer Peak

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/7/2025, By: jberning30
Info: Beautiful day. Summer conditions. Mostly posting this just to emphasize, for anyone thinking about dabbling into class 3 for the first time, this route is a GREAT way to get into it. I've climbed 26 14ers and a good handful of 13ers but this was my first step into anything "technical", and furthermore I ended up going SOLO after doing my research on the forums - didn't have any trouble and felt comfortable the entire day, glad I went for it. I'm sure Kelso Ridge, Wetterhorn, Longs, etc. are other great places to start with class 3, but this one is "easy class 3" for a reason, in my opinion. A couple of spots where I stopped to check the GPS, but the routefinding overall is very intuitive. A couple of spots where there's some pretty good exposure but overall felt very safe and in control the entire ridge - the worst spot or two had work-arounds. And while I had to use my hands a few times, the rock is great - solid hand and foot holds where you need them! Overall, a great intro all the parts of class 3 but none in an overwhelming capacity by any means! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/6/2025, By: wumb0
Info: Made it up to Lower Crystal Lake in my 2014 subaru crosstrek for those that need to hear it. Went up east ridge, nothing out of the ordinary. Chill ridge with a couple class 3 sections and a tad bit of exposure to make it enjoyable. Mostly posting to say that the register at the summit was open and empty. The cap to the register was nowhere to be found as well. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/4/2025, By: nilaoire
Info: You totally need snowshoes once you leave the trees. Deep piles of snow on and off, a few spots where we could circumvent deep snow but most not possible. The gate, which I would say is typically open, that would allow access to the aqueduct parking area is not open. I presume the gate remains shut as road work is scheduled for this month. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/1/2025, By: korybesaw
Info: Ridge is completely dry minus a few spots but easy to get around. Lower areas around the lake snowed in and snow is soft. Post holed a lot on the way down but manageable. 

Route: Helen to Father Dyer down the East ridge
Posted On: 10/27/2024, By: Catwhite
Info: Ridge is snow free for now 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/13/2024, By: astromuni
Info: Dry conditions top to bottom. Parked at upper spruce creek TH and walked in on the wheeler trail. Upper road is a bit rocky and rutty but still subaru-able if you take your time. had the east ridge to myself that morning, but saw a bunch of people on it around noon ... I think they were coming down from the apparently more popular Helen/Dyer combo route. I trekked over to Crystal and descended that route. One kinda sketchy snow crossing on Crystal that should be pretty much gone in a week or so. You can leave the snow equipment home for these ones now. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/16/2024, By: jpacheco1982
Info: A few areas of snow up to the ridge and then the ridge is clear of snow. Straightforward class 3. Went over to crystal and then glissaded down from there. Brought microspikes and gaitors. Road to upper trailhead has a few rougher spots and clearance helpful. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 6/10/2024, By: Rubidium
Info: We started a bit late in the morning but there was significant potholing before the 4WD road and after the lower crystal lake. It was up to about mid-quad at some points. We had to turn around early because of weather but the ridge looked completely dry. Also at the lower Lake, the trail up to the east ridge is somewhat blocked off and looked to be intentionally destroyed. 

Route: Dyer Straits/Herbs Bowl
Posted On: 6/2/2024, By: Chicago Transplant
Info: Spruce Creek trailhead snowbank has not melted out yet but a few higher clearance vehicles have busted through and were camped in sites 1 and 2 I went up Crystal Lakes Road from the split near campsite 2, Crystal Lakes Road is still gated for winter. Dry to start then patchy snow until around 11k when it's consistent enough to be able to skin. Could skin all the way up the face on a few days old skin track. Booted the ridge as its a mix of dry and cornice to the top of the face. Ditched skis there, the summit cone was dry and I don't think a true summit ski is possible anymore this season. Top of the east ridge is dry too, you could walk out a short distance and drop off there but those lines had debris and the ones closest to the summit were too melted out at the chokes and under large cornices. Dropped in the highest point under the summit cone and had great snow all the way back to Crystal Lakes, sticky flats to the road before giving up a little below my skin point. I dropped my camera in the snow at the ridge crest, so most of the pics have a smudge on them that I didn't notice until I was home. Sorry for the quality! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 8/2/2023, By: L1zzz1ee
Info: Completed Father Dyer and Crystal Peak using Dave Coopers Colorado scrambles route. Personally, I would have preferred taking the jeep road up and down from lower crystal lake instead of the wheeler trail but to each their own. The ridge walk up to Dyer was some airy and very enjoyable class 3 scrambling. After that its a mellow traverse over to Crystal. Met a nice mountain goat just as I gained the ridge. Great day! 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 8/2/2023, By: L1zzz1ee
Info: Completed Father Dyer and Crystal Peak using Dave Coopers Colorado scrambles route. Personally, I would have preferred taking the jeep road up and down from lower crystal lake instead of the wheeler trail but to each their own. The ridge walk up to Dyer was some airy and very enjoyable class 3 scrambling. After that its a mellow traverse over to Crystal. Met a nice mountain goat just as I gained the ridge. Great day! 

Route: Combo Helen/Father Dyer/Crystal
Posted On: 7/29/2023, By: ScottLovesRMNP
Info: Got lost while trying to start Mt. Helen in the dark from the 2WD Spruce Creek TH. Cost us about 20-30 minutes. Most roads in the area are not labeled with names, including the all-important Aqueduct Road. Signage is not prolific and the elevation of the Wheeler Trail turn-off seems to be 10,900 ft according to my Garmin, a bit different from the write-up. I should've paid more attention at the start of the whole route and I might not have gotten screwed up. Once we found the correct road/trail to ascend, everything went smoothly up Mt. Helen. I thought the ridge from Helen to Father Dyer was a bit over-hyped because it is very easy to drop off the south side of the ridge and follow grassy ramps to bypass obstacles on the ridge crest. Doing so, the route stays Class 3 and no higher. We eventually got onto the ridge crest at about 13,300 and the last half of the ridge crest was mostly light scrambling with just a couple of spots of exposure where it is useful to look around for a way to drop off the crest for a moment to get past it. We did Crystal Pk at the end (just a couple small bands of snow that are avoidable near the top) and then descended the Crystal Creek Rd which is currently closed partway up to vehicles due to a landslide across the road. It was being worked on as we hiked down through this area to finish our loop. 

Route: Combo Helen/Father Dyer/Crystal
Posted On: 7/9/2023, By: ncxhjhgvbi
Info: Summer conditions from Spruce Creek, up Helen, and through Peak 10. Two small snowfields on the way down to Crystal lake, but well travelled and no issue. Been waiting to get this ridge for awhile, and it didn't disappoint! As I've noticed on 13ers, the few people I met were all awesome. Great day in the mountains. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/5/2023, By: ColoNativeGal
Info: A couple of small snow patches to cross to get to base of the ridge, easy to cross without spikes, poles are helpful. Ridge is dry. Lots of snow in the bowls and couloirs still. Due to weather moving in quickly and Crystal A holding snow on the ridge (should be fine to cross with spikes/crampons and an ice ax), we opted to go back down Dyer's east ridge. We attempted to drive to Crystal lake, but parked 0.5 miles below Francie's. Couldn't get my giant F350 around a rock on a curve. Other 4x4s should have no problem. Saw several Jeeps and a Lexus GX350 up at Lower Crystal Lake. Whether you hike in from Spruce TH side or Crystal Lake TH the water crossings up in the basin are mostly avoidable via the trails in the willows, some slippery logs to cross. The stream has taken over several parts of the road, so care must be taken not to get your feet wet or just have waterproof boots. Also care when driving up not to cause further erosion. 

Route: East Ridge
Posted On: 7/2/2023, By: glenhanderson
Info: Fun scramble route up Father Dyer Peak East Ridge, then over to Crystal Peak, then down the northeast ridge of Crystal back to the alpine meadow at Lower Crystal Lake for the descent back to the car. First the TH situation. We non-Coloradoans thought we might be able to get up to the Lake or at least Francie's Cabin area via the Crystal Creek Road. We had a 4WD Sprinter Van. Uh no. We did see trucks, jeeps, and SUVs make it that day. We ended up parking at the Lower Spruce Creek TH instead and hiked up the Crystal Creek Road. That was not a bad way to go. Not sure why anyone would take the rough road to Upper Spruce Creek TH? That is also very rough and not viable for the van and you don't really benefit versus just going up Crystal Creek Road. Anyway, once we hit the Lower Crystal Lake, we veered left and hiked up to the ridge below Father Dyer. There were a couple snow patches on the way, no problem. The scramble route up the east ridge is pretty tame. A few times we stuck to narrow ridges or class 3 sections, but they all seemed avoidable by faint trails that went around. The wind came and went, but was noticeable along many of the ridges we took, had to wear shells and gloves at times. No snow encountered on the east ridge of Father Dyer. We met a Boulder couple on the summit who had come from the spicier ridge from Mount Helen and had a chat and then followed them over to Crystal Peak. This ridge is basic boulder hopping and class 2. No snow. From Crystal we took the northeast ridge down to the saddle below Peak 10 and then caught the trail that goes back down to Lower Crystal Lake. The Crystal ridge descent did have some snow travel and it was soft and postholing. We avoided as much as we could. It was straightforward though and we never used gaiters or spikes nor did we have ice axes. We ran into a number of vehicles and people coming up to the Lake area to either camp or hang out and when we got back down to Lower Spruce Creek TH and drove off, it was super busy with vehicles parked everywhere. Expected I guess since it's a long July 4th weekend for many. Great loop today and fantastic views all around! There was a bit of rain and hail late in the day as we were descending from Lower Crystal but only lasted 10 mins.