Handies Peak Trip Report 09/15/2008

Peak(s):	Handies Peak - 14,058 feet
Date Posted:	09/15/2008
Date Climbed:	09/13/2008
Author:	ShullCM

Handies Peak -- From American Basin
Departure: 11:00 am, Saturday, September 13. Duration: Ascent: 2 hours 30 minutes Descent: 1 hour 15 minutes. Weather: No clouds at beginning, some clouds by summit at around 2pm. Little wind at top. Hikers: Jacob M, Eric A, Mike S: Handies Peak is about twenty miles or so west of Lake City. We drove along the southern portion of the Alpine Loop, which is County Road 30. There is a sign showing the spur off to the left to American Basin/Handies. The first two pictures show first the paved, then unpaved portion of County Road 30. A 2wd car would be difficult to take to within 2 miles of the American Basin trailhead and downright impossible to go all the way with. High clearance 4WD or ATV is what you need to get to American Basin. We left the American Basin trailhead around 11:00 am as we were coming from Lake City on ATVs and explored the Alpine Loop along the way. I had been up Handies Peak three weeks ago and there was virtually no snow on Handies or on the way up. There was some fresh snowfall within the last week however, as the slender, jagged peaks that form American Basin just behind Sloan Lake now had significant snow. (Picture #3 shows snowfall as of 9/13. Picture #4 shows contrast with no snow on 8/22) The first traces of snow began around 12,000', but there was none actually on the trail. At around 13,000 feet we stopped briefly at Sloan Lake. I have read in several places that the lake is actually stocked with trout, but find that difficult to believe. Regardless, it is a beautiful lake. Normally it is a perfect topaz color, but was a darker blue/green on Saturday, presumably because the snowfall had begun to melt and took silt into the lake with it. From Sloan Lake to the top took a little over an hour, and we stopped for a few moments every few hundred feet. The trail descends just a bit from Sloans Lake and then ascends via several switchbacks towards the summit. There are gulleys filled with scree where one might cut straight up to avoid all the switchbacks but I would not recommend it. The view from the summit is the best of any of the 14ers I have climbed. Several 14er summits are clearly visible. Uncomphagre, and Wetterhorn to the North, Sneffels to the West, Red Cloud and Sunshine just a few miles north, the Windam/Eolus/Sunlight range to the South, and even the Wilson cluster off far in the distance. Sneffels looked particularly impressive from Handies. After about 20 minutes on the summit, we began our descent. The first 500 feet go by fairly quickly as you can heel-plant in the smaller scree. There is a ridge about 500 feet from the top that makes a great setting for non-summit pictures. Below that, the switchbacks begin again. We took one of the gulleys down and heel-planted down it. We probably descended 800 feet in about 15 minutes. Total time on the descent was 1 hour, 15 minutes, and that was with a photo op on the high ridge taking up about 10 minutes at least. Additional pictures are of Animas Forks Ghost Town, just over Cinnamon Pass from the American Basin spur. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Handies Peak -- From American Basin

Departure: 11:00 am, Saturday, September 13.

Duration: Ascent: 2 hours 30 minutes Descent: 1 hour 15 minutes.

Weather: No clouds at beginning, some clouds by summit at around 2pm. Little wind at top.

Hikers: Jacob M, Eric A, Mike S:

Handies Peak is about twenty miles or so west of Lake City. We drove along the southern portion of the Alpine Loop, which is County Road 30. There is a sign showing the spur off to the left to American Basin/Handies. The first two pictures show first the paved, then unpaved portion of County Road 30. A 2wd car would be difficult to take to within 2 miles of the American Basin trailhead and downright impossible to go all the way with. High clearance 4WD or ATV is what you need to get to American Basin.

We left the American Basin trailhead around 11:00 am as we were coming from Lake City on ATVs and explored the Alpine Loop along the way. I had been up Handies Peak three weeks ago and there was virtually no snow on Handies or on the way up. There was some fresh snowfall within the last week however, as the slender, jagged peaks that form American Basin just behind Sloan Lake now had significant snow. (Picture #3 shows snowfall as of 9/13. Picture #4 shows contrast with no snow on 8/22)

The first traces of snow began around 12,000', but there was none actually on the trail. At around 13,000 feet we stopped briefly at Sloan Lake. I have read in several places that the lake is actually stocked with trout, but find that difficult to believe. Regardless, it is a beautiful lake. Normally it is a perfect topaz color, but was a darker blue/green on Saturday, presumably because the snowfall had begun to melt and took silt into the lake with it.

From Sloan Lake to the top took a little over an hour, and we stopped for a few moments every few hundred feet. The trail descends just a bit from Sloans Lake and then ascends via several switchbacks towards the summit. There are gulleys filled with scree where one might cut straight up to avoid all the switchbacks but I would not recommend it.

The view from the summit is the best of any of the 14ers I have climbed. Several 14er summits are clearly visible. Uncomphagre, and Wetterhorn to the North, Sneffels to the West, Red Cloud and Sunshine just a few miles north, the Windam/Eolus/Sunlight range to the South, and even the Wilson cluster off far in the distance. Sneffels looked particularly impressive from Handies. After about 20 minutes on the summit, we began our descent. The first 500 feet go by fairly quickly as you can heel-plant in the smaller scree. There is a ridge about 500 feet from the top that makes a great setting for non-summit pictures.

Below that, the switchbacks begin again. We took one of the gulleys down and heel-planted down it. We probably descended 800 feet in about 15 minutes. Total time on the descent was 1 hour, 15 minutes, and that was with a photo op on the high ridge taking up about 10 minutes at least.

Additional pictures are of Animas Forks Ghost Town, just over Cinnamon Pass from the American Basin spur.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

ShullCM	Sneffels will be up next. 9/16/2008 7:42pm No doctors here. Just an accountant, a consultant, and a fat lawyer.
its-time	Nice! 9/17/2008 2:13am Thanks for the report. We‘re doing Handies and the 13er group NJA this weekend.
Athos791	Nice Report! 11/30/2010 5:20pm Just curious, did you guys try Mt. Sneffels in july? i met some guys who were med students at UK and wasn't sure if it was you guys or not... Never mind, just checked your profile haha

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