Rev. J.J. Gibbons experienced the San Juan Mountains of Colorado as few men ever did. At the end of the Nineteenth Century, when avalanches ran, mines exploded, and plagues hit hard, everyone backed off except for Gibbons. It was his job to tend to the sick, give last rites tot he dying, buy the dead, and bring comfort to the grieving families. So when the weather was at its worst, when it was really too dangerous to travel, when life was at its grimmest, Father Gibbons set out on foot or on horseback to bring comfort to those individuals in need of a Catholic priest. In the San Juan tells stories of skeletons along the trailside, men blown to bits warming dynamite on a stove, and the power of an avalanche that killed not only those in its path, but also would-be rescuers who came in later. Responsible for an enormous territory that covered 10,000 square miles of some of the most rugged terrain in the United States, Father Gibbons was a living testament that faith in God helped good men to make it through terrible times. Staying true to his convictions, the courageous priest brought the church to those who need it--no matter how far or dangerous the trek. Father Gibbons brought peace and joy to the sick and dying and did it with bravery that rivaled any sheriff who faced down desperados of the day. This extraordinary work provides a look at life in the silver mining heyday of the San Juan Mountains through the sensitive and perceptive eyes of a man of faith.