Handies add on?

[mommyhiker]

Hello,

Has anyone added one of the Centennial or Bicentennial 13ers to Handies Peak? For example, Jones Peak. Do you have a GPX route to share? TIA

[climbingcue]

https://www.strava.com/activities/4182925673

The gully we took to get to Handies was steep and full of crappy rock, so take care with this route.

[Veory]

The slope getting up to the Jones/American saddle is super loose, I just went up there last weekend. Certainty do-able but expect it to be hard going and a little dangerous. The ridge to American from Handies may or may not go, I've been interested in if anyone has figured that out for a while. The rocky towers between American/Jones saddle and the unnamed 13er in the same basin were horrendously loose though so idk if I'd trust the rock. You might have a better time starting from the Grizzly Gulch TH and tagging 13801 and Whitecross with Handies instead. That one doesn't seem too bad although I haven't done it myself.

[mommyhiker]

Thank you, is the rest of the route easy to follow?

[Chicago Transplant]

I have done Handies with Whitecross and 13801 and that was a pretty straightforward route. We did Whitecross first, then over Handies to 13801. Backtrack slightly to the west of 13801 and go down a 600' grassy slope towards 13k where it turns to talus as it drops to the 12323 lake that is on the map and grassy slopes connect you back to the Grizzly Gulch trail below that.

[Mtnman200]

On 8/30/2016 I combined Whitecross Mountain (13,542'), Handies Peak (14,048'), UN 13795, and "Campbell Creek Peak" (13,454'): https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=17413

[supranihilest]

On 8/30/2016 I combined Whitecross Mountain (13,542'), Handies Peak (14,048'), UN 13795, and "Campbell Creek Peak" (13,454'): https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=17413

Word of caution if adding "Campbell Creek Peak", since Eddie apparently had a much easier time with the descent of Campbell Creek than my team and I: we found the descent of Campbell Creek to be awful and dangerous. You're so nonchalant about that descent, Eddie. If you do "Campbell Creek Peak" from Handies you're going to be better off ascending 13,801's north ridge and descending back into Grizzly Gulch.

[9patrickmurphy]

On 8/30/2016 I combined Whitecross Mountain (13,542'), Handies Peak (14,048'), UN 13795, and "Campbell Creek Peak" (13,454'): https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=17413

Word of caution if adding "Campbell Creek Peak", since Eddie apparently had a much easier time with the descent of Campbell Creek than my team and I: we found the descent of Campbell Creek to be awful and dangerous. You're so nonchalant about that descent, Eddie. If you do "Campbell Creek Peak" from Handies you're going to be better off ascending 13,801's north ridge and descending back into Grizzly Gulch.

Regaining 13,801's north ridge is very easy and straightforward, too. Then there's a nice slope of scree skiing back to the lake and trail. Based on your experience, Ben, I'd imagine that the 2019 avalanches really messed up Campbell Creek's drainage. I was glad to have taken your advice because the up-and-over return route was downright pleasant.

Back in September of 2019 I did Jones/Niagara/American/Handies in a day. It wasn't a particularly big day and I really liked the linkup. I used this TR for inspiration, and Handies is a simple trail addition after the 13er trio.

[Choss Plate]

I did the Campbell Creek -> Whitecross linkup the other direction, and I didn't find the ascent up Campbell Creek to be all that nasty (and that was 2020, way before I learned to love sketchy bushwhacks up 13ers), so it may be one of those cases where your experience is highly dependent on which way you go. That way does gain a TON of vert VERY quickly, so you gotta like steepness.

I do find it validating to read those reports and see I'm not the only one to descend off the ridge between Campbell Creek and 13,795. I distinctly remember my disappointment when I saw that the "rough Class 2+" ridge promised by the guidebook was not (in my mind) passable.

[Mtnman200]

On 8/30/2016 I combined Whitecross Mountain (13,542'), Handies Peak (14,048'), UN 13795, and "Campbell Creek Peak" (13,454'): https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=17413

Word of caution if adding "Campbell Creek Peak", since Eddie apparently had a much easier time with the descent of Campbell Creek than my team and I: we found the descent of Campbell Creek to be awful and dangerous. You're so nonchalant about that descent, Eddie. If you do "Campbell Creek Peak" from Handies you're going to be better off ascending 13,801's north ridge and descending back into Grizzly Gulch.

I followed some game trails down Campbell Creek Peak, which undoubtedly made my route easier than it would have been otherwise. Or maybe I just am a glutton for punishment... Embrace the suck, Ben!