Two Men Gone - A Double Mystery

Colorado is a beautiful state made up of 64 counties. Clear Creek County has a population of less than 10,000. That speaks to its isolation and tough terrain. The county is bordered by ski country including Breckinridge, Keystone, and Copper Mountain. On the other side, sits Golden Gate Canyon State Park and farther on, the city of Denver.

Nestled below peaks in Clear Creek County is Silver Plume, a former mining town. Comprised of less than 200 citizens, it is referred to as a “living ghost town”. So why would it attract two outsiders at different times to start businesses in the same old building?

Tom Young, former Army Special Forces and high school teacher, moved to the tiny, remote town in 1969. The 49 year old lived alone with his dog, Gus. On September 9, 1987, Young and Gus left his bookstore in the old Knights of Pythias building. Bumping into friends along his walk, he told them he was going on a trip to Europe. Young was never seen again.

Months later, Keith Reinhard moved to Silver Plume, opening an antique store in the same building that held Young’s bookstore. This commenced an obsession with the previous tenant. Reinhard immediately began writing a novel based on Young’s disappearance.

Reinhard was a 50-year old Daily Herald sportswriter from Chicago. It was during a three-month sabbatical that he moved to Silver Plume and into the former bookstore. The original draw to Colorado was to exercise more, lose his fear of heights, write, and start the business. An old friend, Ted Parker, lived there and had encouraged the move. The plan was to eventually relocate to the town with his wife.

Eleven months after going missing, Young’s remains along with Gus, were found in the mountains. Each had been shot in the head. Initially, the discovery was ruled a suicide primarily because Young’s gun was found beside him. However, no ballistic testing was done to prove that the gun was the one used, leading to speculation.

This had great effect on Reinhard, who told everyone he was going to summit Pendleton Mountain. One week after the remains were found, he did just that. However, he left at 5pm on the difficult 6-hour hike, ill-equipped, and still fearing heights. He never returned. Over the next week, 200 volunteers from neighboring counties helped in the search. It was called off after a search plane crashed, killing one and injuring another. Reinhard has never been found.

The unfinished novel was found inside his apartment. Final paragraphs read like a description of his own disappearance, "Guy Gypsum changed into some hiking boots and donned a heavy flannel shirt. He understood it all now, and his motivation. Guy closed the door, then walked off towards the lush, shadowless, Colorado forests above.” 

This fueled speculation of a staged disappearance. It gets more involved. Many now think that Young’s death was not a suicide and that both men were killed. Relatives and friends of both believe they had discovered something in the old building they rented. The Clear Creek County Sheriff’s Office still has an open case on Reinhard.

A documentary called, Dark Side of the Mountain, is currently in post-production. It covers this amazing story. It promises to tell the definitive story, here is its impressive website.