Dan Dryden Memorial

I first met Nancy at the Moser’s home where she came regularly to work with their daughter Molly through the Infant Learning Program. However, one doesn’t usually know just one Dryden for long. Soon I had met Dan, Jessica, and Daniel. When I first visited them in Sutton, they were living in their motor home which was parked in the garage of the building which would eventually be their home. It was tight quarters initially, kind of like a boat. I have many happy memories of being together with the Dryden family and other of our friends for hikes & outings, dinners, Holidays. Many times I would stop in at their home on my way home from berry picking or a hike and always received the same wonderful welcome Two adventures I had with the Dryden “foursome” stand out in my mind. One was the Crow Pass trip and the other was the Mint to Eska trip. .

For the Crow Pass trip my parents offered to do the car shuttle so that we didn’t have to backtrack to pick up a car after hiking from Girdwood to Eagle River. They loved the Drydens and looked forward to any encounter with the family. They drove me to Girdwood to meet the Drydens who arrived several hours later. My parents were worried that something had happened to them, but I reassured them that this late arrival wasn’t unusual for the Drydens and that even though it “appeared” that they were about to leave at the same time that we were, that they were often detained in one manner or another. Dan had been diligently listening to weather reports prior to this trip to time it with perfect, sunny, warm weather. The Drydens did finally arrive and we got a mid to late afternoon start. The scenery of the entire trip was outstanding, and more so because of the perfect conditions. We hiked along mining debris amid tall salmonberry bushes. We came to the deep gorge with the endless waterfall and explored around the falls and walked into the canyon room above it. Continuing upward the perfect conditions soon translated to “hot” and Dan shed his jeans for 2 bandanas tied together at his waist. On the way up, Dan pointed out how advantageous it was to have 2 strong teenagers who were eager to carry heavy loads and were in fact carrying the entire family tent. I had my little 1 person tent, but also benefited from the family porters, as the stove was being shared. Raven Glacier was spectacular on a sunny day and seemed to be coming from many directions as a vast expanse of rugged white ice chunks . That evening we were delighted to find that our campsite was also a blueberry patch & enthusiastically picked berries to supplement our supper & our breakfast. Dan extolled the virtues of the new little Coleman camp stove he had just purchased—such that I was convinced it was the answer to camping and bought one just like it shortly after the trip (It has been the answer). Crossing the Eagle River the next day was memorable in that the river was high and swift from warm weather glacial melt. Dan explained that we should cross as a unit, holding onto a pole which we found laying on the bank. I offered to lead the charge into the icy water but after heading out ran into difficulty, as my neoprene booties were washed away by the swift current & I stumbled trying not to lose them. If we hadn’t all been holding onto a pole to stabilize us, I would have fallen fully into the river. By evening, I was tiring as there is a 13 mile march along the Eagle River on the last stretch. Then Nancy started us singing, and we sang the last miles away with every song we could think of. There were no discomforts from then on. It was just such a joy from beginning to end to be with the Dryden energy and enthusiasm.



Another trip with the Drydens was a 4th of July weekend when we hiked from the Mint trail in Hatcher Pass to the Mint hut, across the Mint Glacier to the Moose Creek & hut, and then ascended the next ridge which lead to the headwaters of Eska Falls. We were leaving in the morning. I stayed up late packing and also got up to finish off. Knowing the chances of an early departure or even a morning departure were unlikely, I lay on the sofa and slept until the Drydens arrived—around 3 pm. It was a 3 day weekend & with the late start I had some concerns that we would not return in time for work on Tuesday, but I was reassured that we had to make it out by then as Jessica also worked. We hiked along at a brisk pace to make it up to the Mint Hut that evening. The next morning the start was leisurely. We identified the different Mint mountains—Spearmint, Peppermint, Doublemint, Governmint, Merrimint, Troublemint-- took careful stock of our surroundings, and gathered the gear for heading up the Mint Glacier. The glacier didn’t look terribly large or impressive as there weren’t any visible crevasses and it just looked like dirty, rock-strewn snow but we did rope up & stuck together. It was overcast but at one point the sun came out, and Dan & Nancy seized the moment to nap together on a rock in the sun. We went over the top, through a little wind, and made an easy descent into Moose Creek Valley (with some of us sliding). We didn’t know where the hut was located, but were able to spot it while still high, so we had a general idea of our next destination. Then as we descended, the clouds evaporated and we had a beautiful sunny alpine valley garden all to ourselves. We were delighted by the alpine flowers and stopped repeatedly to examine the fresh and colorful bouquets. Dan & Nancy, Jessica and Daniel were all there in the moment & I loved their enthusiasm and joy and was part of it myself. Each new flower or formation was a major discovery, another dimension of perfection. We moved very slowly savoring it all. Further down the valley we found ourselves boulder hopping. I was using a hiking stick, something I had just taken up due to a back injury, feeling insecure with my balance. Dan watched how I moved with the stick, and observed that my posture changed to more bent and tentative when I used the stick, and he suggested that I put it aside as he thought I would do better without it. I listened, tried it, and found that he was right, and that I didn’t really need the stick. We came to the newly built Moose Pass Hut with rocky ridges above it and flowered carpet below, enjoyed another night out, then another leisurely start to our final day. We continued down the valley, then up a rocky crumbly ridge. I recall Dan, Jessica & Daniel running up the loose rock and steep slopes with the greatest of ease. Nancy & I were more cautious and deliberate, but were assisted in our ascent by ropes dropped for us. It was so enjoyable to climb the rest of the way up with the safety of a belay. At the top there was some ridge walking and then side winding along scree to the final ridge above Eska Falls. It was already getting towards evening. The rest of the trip I recall as sheer beauty and joy as we descended in the fading light from the very headwaters of Eska—some glaciated snow at the top-- around some glacial lakes, to the broad runway which was an easy hike down, then descending more sharply into the Valley of Waterfalls. It was getting quite dusky by then, and I couldn’t see as clearly, but I remember the sound of water falling all around us as we were surrounded by falls. Further down the Valley we came to the main Eska Falls, still wild and natural. As I recall the last part of the trail was still the unimproved trail that Lynn Wood & Nancy had blazed, still so pristine and jungle-like before the 4 wheelers ground it up & grooved it. As we were hiking out about 3 am, I remember thinking “yes, we will make it out in time to work today”. I was driven home as Dan or Nancy went to retrieve the car at Hatcher Pass. Although tired, I was utterly happy and enlivened to have shared another adventure with the Drydens.

Dan, I am going to miss your passion for living fully, your strong embrace, and smile, your wonderful conversations with serious and open inquiry into the nature of all kinds of things, your explorations for truth and contemplation of mystery, your instruction and advice, your promotion of kindness and cooperation, your sense of justice, and concern for the environment, your pleasure in your family and your wide and warm extension of family, your enjoyment of the arts and small flowers, your love of a good keg of beer and a party, your big truck, your adventures. However I am going to affirm that we cannot not be robbed of the brightness you have brought to our lives and inasmuch as we continue to live in the moment without separation, you are with us. Quianaq-puk.

Nancy, Jessica & Brian, Dan & Renee, Ale. Thank you for sharing so honestly and beautifully with us from Guatamala. You have been an inspiration to me through all your pain and struggles. You exemplify how much stronger we are when we share the burdens and support each other. I love you all very much and look forward to seeing you again.

Linda