Peak to Peak

Bold. Inspirational. Sacred. Rugged.

- CANDY MOULTON

When explorer John C. Fremont went West in the summer of 1842, he charted territory across Wyoming’s Wind River Mountains, where he famously planted the American flag on one of the range’s peaks, today known as Fremont Peak.

– FREMONT LITHOGRAPH COURTESY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/WIND RIVER RANGE TRUE WEST ARCHIVES -

On September 13, 2001, two days after a horrific attack of terrorism tore at the core of our nation, I did what other Americans did: Got up and went to work. On this day, doing research for a book and a True West article, I drove through the Colorado Rockies, visiting ghost towns and still-vibrant communities. I stepped into a small chapel in Cripple Creek at noon to pray with people I did not know for a nation still reeling from the attacks of 9/11.

In the afternoon, I drove to the top of Pikes Peak. I had never been there. I had dutifully listened to the warning given at the base of the mountains: Be careful on the descent. Don’t use your brakes too much; they could get hot and give out. It is a steep road.

At the top of the mountain, I left my car to take in the grandeur. It felt like I had the entire mountain to myself; the wind buffeted, but the view inspired. This was where America’s anthem was penned. This mountain was where explorer/adventurer Zebulon Pike had come in 1806, the first Euro-American to trod the rocky landscape. This was where the ancestors of my dear friend, Northern Ute spiritual leader Clifford Duncan, came for sustenance and ceremony.