Handies TH from Silverton

[grahampa]

Is CO road 20 passable from Silverton to the Handies trailhead? Hoping to go up there in my Highlander but was not looking to drive around to lake city.

[doggler]

High-clearance 4WD can make it with a little bit of effort albeit some worry. Stock Wranglers do it frequently. There are some steep, narrow, rocky parts and if you haven't driven roads like that before, I suppose it could be a bit terrifying.

IMO I believe last I timed it, Silverton->Lake City took me 1h55min that way. It's a time-saver, but not as much of one as you'd hope.

[Sugar Madison]

Is CO road 20 passable from Silverton to the Handies trailhead? Hoping to go up there in my Highlander but was not looking to drive around to lake city.

Are you talking about going over Cinnamon Pass to American Basin or using the Grouse Gulch TH just below Animas Forks?

If Cinnamon Gulch, what doggler said.

If Grouse Gulch (taking the route up Grouse to Grouse-American Saddle and across the basin to intersect the standard route), then any car with a bit of clearance can make it. I was up there for Hardrock a few weeks ago. The road to Grouse has gotten noticeably worse in recent years, but there were a bunch of 2wd sedans at that aid station, so pretty much any car can make it w/ a bit of care.

[acidchylde]

I think you have the wrong road number. I show CR20 as Engineer Pass, which is Wetterhorn and Uncompahgre.

Which Handies trailhead? Grizzly, American, or Grouse? For the first two you'd need to go over Cinnamon Pass, which I personally would not recommend in that vehicle (nor would I suggest Engineer - they're both similar, but traveling west to east over Engineer is probably the most difficult option). Cinnamon is 5 on the Silverton side and 30 on the Lake City side. You might want to review some recent threads on the topic:
https://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51795
https://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51939
https://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=51795
https://www.14ers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=49904

[grahampa]

thanks so much for the help guys, never been out to Silverton just trying to get an idea. probably had toad
road numbers confused. thinking any way to climb handles, redcloud / sunshine, wetterhorn or uncompahgre from Silverton instead of lake city would be awesome. thanks again guys will read up on those threads

[JChitwood]

I went over Cinnamon in a Suby Outback last Labor Day. Slow going in spots but I think a Highlander could easily handle it. What's the clearance? I think Outbacks have 8.7". The stretch up to the American Basin TH might be the worst of it. Previous poster is correct in that it won't be as fast as you think.

[pak]

Although it is greater mileage, I'd recommend the paved highways from Silverton to Lake City. Cinnamon Pass is the more direct route to American Basin for Handies. Engineer Pass works for Redcloud/Sunshine/Wetterhorn/Uncompaghre. However, the road from Howardsville to Animas Forks is a bit rough and slow going.

Both Engineer and Cinnamon Pass are high-clearance 4WD. If you drive on a weekend, expect a lot of other vehicles and ATVs. Unless you have experience driving rough 4WD roads in your Highlander, I wouldn't attempt either pass; just my opinion (I use a stock xTerra but I've driven plenty of rough roads in a Subaru outback). It will be slow-going and you might risk damage to your vehicle. The paved route will be your best bet.

[acidchylde]

I went over Cinnamon in a Suby Outback last Labor Day. Slow going in spots but I think a Highlander could easily handle it. What's the clearance? I think Outbacks have 8.7".

Modern Highlanders are 8. Basically they're minivan crossover SUVs.

Although it is greater mileage, I'd recommend the paved highways from Silverton to Lake City. Cinnamon Pass is the more direct route to American Basin for Handies. Engineer Pass works for Redcloud/Sunshine/Wetterhorn/Uncompaghre. However, the road from Howardsville to Animas Forks is a bit rough and slow going.

Unless you're climbing from the north side of Redcloud/Sunshine, which isn't standard, then Cinnamon is the most direct route for those too. Grizzly for Handies and Silver Creek for RC/S are pretty much the same place, about 30-45 minutes farther down the road than the American turnoff. Only Wetterhorn/Uncompahgre are accessed from the Engineer road.

I can see a Highlander getting to Animas Forks and considering that upper half to be 'rough', but if so, that switchback and the first rocky segment heading up to Cinnamon proper would be a no-go if you think anything below Animas is 'rough'.

[grahampa]

so the grouse gulchTH is accessible from Silverton? awesome thanks friends

[Le Marmot]

so the grouse gulchTH is accessible from Silverton? awesome thanks dolls
friends

The grouse gulch approach can make for a long(er) day than american basin, but the time it takes to drive over the pass can be spent walking up grouse gulch.
Grab a copy of Gerry Roaches 14er books, he gives detailed directions/locations of the various THs to all the 14ers.

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/colorado ... 1100124012

[GreenHorn]

If your base is in Silverton then I would recommend the Grouse Gulch TH. As the Marmot said the extra hiking time is probably equal to the extra time driving over Cinnamon even if you had a capable vehicle. I did this route on July 4. Feel free to pm if you have any questions.

[pak]

@acidchylde - you are correct - Redcloud and Sunshine are approached from American Basin, which is closest to Cinnamon Pass from the Southwest.

@grahampa - Yes, per Roach "Colorado Fourteeners" (Second Edition) p. 233 (Grouse Gulch TH directions) and p. 241 (Route 28.13) you can climb Handies from this TH and have access from Silverton with no need of a 4WD vehicle. RT mileage is 8.0; elevation is 4,100.