Father Dyer loop questions

[LarryM]

I'm thinking of doing this loop solo (this Tuesday if the weather report gets substantially better, probably next week otherwise): http://www.13ers.com/peaks/peak.php?peakkey=1630" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have 2WD only. If I am reading the report correctly, that should add about 2 miles to the route (one mile each way), correct?

Also, it will be my first class 3 - based on many recommendations that Father Dyer is a good first class 3 route. Is there anything about the route that I should be wary of (weather aside)?

[kaiman]

Summitpost lists it as 2.3 miles from the Spruce Creek turnoff to lower Crystal Lake so you'd be adding around 4.6 miles round trip to your climb: http://www.summitpost.org/father-dyer-peak/154311" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Frontrangeskier]

Just did the Ridge up Dyer to Crystal to Peak 10 then down to the Wheeler Trail yesterday. I parked at treeline. It was about a 6.5 mile loop. I drove up into the basin in my truck. Its a beast, dont drive your car past the trailhead down below. The ridge is a fun scramble. Nothing to get worried about.

[Double Oh Seven]

You probably don't even add a mile each way. If you park at the 2wd th you just take the crystal creek road (the one on the right at the road junction) up to crystal lake before picking up the father dyer east ridge. This junction is right after the 2wd th

If you have 4wd you can drive 1 mile up spruce creek rd (stay left at the junction) and then follow an old road past a gate to the wheeler trail to connect with crystal creek rd. my best guess is the mile of driving cuts off half a mile of distance and having to walk crystal creek rd which is kind of steep

I don't think Most people doing this route drive all the way to the lake

And yes this is a great first class 3 loop

[LarryM]

Thanks all. I'm really getting excited about this loop.

I had really settled on Tuesday until I read the weather report. Probably not a good route on a day with a 60% chance of thunderstorms. Maybe Tuesday next, if I'm not working.

[JQDivide]

Larry,
Just did a similar loop today.
We went up Helen to Father Dyer, to Crystal and to Peak 10.
I did a short trip report.

You'll be good if you go up FDyer's east ridge. Don't do Helen to FDyer if it's your first Class 3.

let me know if you have any questions.

JQ

[LarryM]

What are the escape options off the peak/ridges if there's a storm? I haven't abandoned the idea of doing it tomorrow (if I get an early start I should be able to beat the storms). Obviously I can skip Peak 10, but are there other options off the peaks/ridges (preferably down to the Crystal Lake basin) if a storm approaches?

[Jay521]

JQ certainly has a more recent knowledge than I do, but I seem to recall either a game or a faint climber's trail that goes down to the Crystal Lake basin area from the saddle between FD and Crystal. I don't recall any good bailouts on the Helen to FD ridge - but the day I did it, the weather was stellar so I wasn't exactly looking...

[jaymz]

The FD ridge itself is pretty easy to downclimb, which is what I did when a storm rolled through. But if you're already past the class 3 sections and don't feel comfortable with that, bailing down to upper Crystal Lake is probably your best and safest option. I believe there's a trail you can jump onto at the lake that will take you back down into the basin.

[RockCaCO3]

You can connect to a trail down to Crystal Creek drainage from the saddle between CP and Peak 10.

Question: I recently parked at the closed gate on Aqueduct Road (as described here:http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=7387), but while we were on FD, we could see vehicles driving up to Lower Crystal Lake. Is there vehicle access from the Spruce Creek TH (off of road 800)?

[JQDivide]

Not sure about bailouts from FD other than the east ridge... but yes the Crystal to Peak 10 saddle is a 'standard' way down.
You can see that saddle and the trail (on the north side of the basin) from FD.

RockCa
The road splits just after the 2wd TH. The right road goes past the hut and into the basin to the lakes. The left goes to the 4wd TH below Helen.

[RockCaCO3]

RockCa
The road splits just after the 2wd TH. The right road goes past the hut and into the basin to the lakes. The left goes to the 4wd TH below Helen.

Thanks. I made the assumption that the locked gate at Aqueduct Road was the main access, and assured my hiking partner that was the case. As we took a break on FD summit, and watched a couple of Jeeps drive up the road to the lake that we just hiked up, my hiking partner gave me a "wtf" look . The trail from the gate was very nice though, and worth hiking.