Handies Peak Trip Report 08/24/2007

Peak(s):	Handies Peak - 14,058 feet
Date Posted:	08/24/2007
Date Climbed:	08/12/2007
Author:	mtnhappy9756

Handies--American Basin
We spent the night at the Mill Creek Campground, about 1 hour, 15 minutes from the American Basin TH. I snapped a few pictures at the TH before we started at 8:30 a.m. We were pleasantly surprised to see a few baby ptarmigan blending in nicely with the rocks. Getting closer.... Views of Sloan Lake. A false summit was enough to give us the stamina to continue up the final steep push of the climb. We reached the summit at 10:40 a.m. The weather was still nice, but many clouds were already moving in. Views from the summit. Grizzly Gulch. Looking towards Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass. More Sloan Lake prettiness on the descent. Flowers abound. We were greeted back at the TH at 1 p.m. with the sound of thunder. It quickly started raining; the fierce weather made our drive up to Cinnamon Pass quite interesting. Atop the pass, it was still raining. Five minutes later, it stopped and the sun was out, just as if it hadn't even rained. That is Colorado for ya! It was fun exploring the old ghost town of Animas Forks before ending our day with a soak in the Ouray Hot Springs.

Handies--American Basin

We spent the night at the Mill Creek Campground, about 1 hour, 15 minutes from the American Basin TH.

I snapped a few pictures at the TH before we started at 8:30 a.m.

We were pleasantly surprised to see a few baby ptarmigan blending in nicely with the rocks.

Getting closer....

Views of Sloan Lake.

A false summit was enough to give us the stamina to continue up the final steep push of the climb. We reached the summit at 10:40 a.m. The weather was still nice, but many clouds were already moving in.

Views from the summit.
Grizzly Gulch.

Looking towards Cinnamon Pass and Engineer Pass.

More Sloan Lake prettiness on the descent.

Flowers abound.

We were greeted back at the TH at 1 p.m. with the sound of thunder. It quickly started raining; the fierce weather made our drive up to Cinnamon Pass quite interesting. Atop the pass, it was still raining. Five minutes later, it stopped and the sun was out, just as if it hadn't even rained. That is Colorado for ya!

It was fun exploring the old ghost town of Animas Forks before ending our day with a soak in the Ouray Hot Springs.

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