IntrepidXJ
ADVENTR
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2012
- Messages
- 3,480
Saturday & Sunday, August 16-17, 2014
Diane has been hiking in the mountains with me all summer and was finally ready to try climbing her first 14er. She left the decision of which 14er we would climb up to me, so I decided we would hike up Handies Peak in the San Juan Mountains. Handies Peak was my first 14er back in 2010, so I knew it would be a good one to start out on. It's also one of the easier hikes at 2.9 miles in length (one way) with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. She has hiked longer trails with more elevation gain with me before, so I was confident she would make it to the top. Since Handies was my first, I was also looking forward to climbing it again to see how much easier it would be for me the second time around. Plus I was looking forward to getting an earlier start this time so I could watch the sunrise with a better camera from near the top.
We left home on Saturday morning with plans to hike Handies Peak (14,048 feet) bright and early on Sunday morning, so we took our time by driving the Alpine Loop to the trailhead in American Basin. We left the highway just outside of Ouray and followed the rough road along the Uncompahgre River and Mineral Creek, past Mineral Point, and then up to Engineer Pass at 12,800 feet. While we were up at the pass we thought it would be a good warm up to hike the short distance to the top of Engineer Mountain (13,218 feet). It was an easy hike from the pass and offered great views all around, including 14ers Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 feet), Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 feet) and Mount Sneffels (14,150 feet). There was also a nice view down into the upper portion of Bear Creek, which we had hiked partway up a few weeks ago.
A nice view up Poughkeepsie Gulch as we drove up the Alpine Loop towards Engineer Pass.
Poughkeepsie Gulch by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mineral Creek Road by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I love the shadows from the clouds on the alpine tundra above tree-line.
Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Tundra Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Almost to Engineer Pass.
Up to Engineer Pass by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Darley Mountain (13,260 feet) comes into view.
Darley Mountain by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view towards the Sneffels Range from Oh! Point.
Sneffels View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down into the upper reaches of Bear Creek.
Bear Creek by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
More shadows on the tundra towards the Sneffels Range.
Sneffels Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A straightforward hike to the top of Engineer Mountain.
Engineer Mountain by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Nice view from the top of Wetterhorn Peak (left) and Uncompahgre Peak (right).
Wetterhorn & Uncompahgre by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
View from the top.
Engineer Summit View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I liked the dark shadow of the cloud below.
Cloud Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane on the summit.
Engineer Mountain Summit by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Engineer View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Coming back down from the top.
Coming Down by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After spending some time on the summit and then hiking back to the Jeep, we continued over the pass and dropped down to Henson Creek, which we followed to Lake City. We made one stop along the way and hiked down to Whitmore Falls.
Whitmore Falls by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Whitmore Detail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane at Whitmore Falls by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
We stopped in Lake City for a late lunch before driving past Lake San Cristobal and following the Lake Fork of the Gunnison to Burrows Park. We found a nice campsite under Edith Mountain (12,620 feet) a few miles before the trailhead in American Basin that would work nicely for an early start the following morning. After setting up camp we took a quick drive up into American Basin to check it out for the morning and then went to bed early.
Our campsite for the night.
Lake Fork Camp by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Handies Peak towers above the trailhead in American Basin. Our destination for the following morning.
Handies Peak by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Shadows and light in American Basin.
American Basin Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Two-track to our campsite.
Camp Two-Track by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
On Sunday morning we woke up to my alarm at 3:30am and were on our way up the trail to Handies Peak by 4:00am. It was beautiful hiking below the peaks of American Basin under the stars and Milky Way with just enough moonlight that we didn't need to use our headlamps. We saw quite a few meteorites shoot across the sky from the Perseid Meteor Shower that has been going on this month. We hiked slowly but at a steady pace and made it to the saddle below Handies Peak just before sunrise and were able to watch the early morning sunlight strike the surrounding mountains from near the top as the Earth's shadow moved slowly across the sky to the west. It was a beautiful sight and a great way to start the day; definitely worth waking up at 3:30am for!
Looking back down the trail towards American Peak and Sloan Lake as I neared the saddle. There was finally enough light to start taking some photos.
Trail to the Saddle by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
View from the saddle.
Saddle by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Earth's shadow above American Peak and Sloan Lake.
American Earth Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Small wildflowers along the trail.
Trail Above by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
From this elevation the Earth Shadow seemed to last forever.
Earth Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Finally, the first sunlight of the day begins to strike to tops of the surrounding mountains.
First Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Then it breaks over the ridge I am hiking along to warm me up.
Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane coming up the trail behind me.
Coming Up by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Beautiful views all around!
Basin Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mountain Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mountain View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The last stretch of the trail to the summit.
Trail to the Top by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Almost to the top!
Coming Up Handies by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
My first view from the summit with Uncompahgre Peak in the upper left and Whitecross Mountain (13,542 feet) below.
Handies View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane made it to the top of Handies a little before 7:00am, which was how long I figured it would take. I don't think that just under three hours is bad for 2,500 feet of elevation gain on your first 14er. It was certainly much easier for me this time than the first time I did this peak back in 2010, too. We spent about half an hour on the summit and then slowly hiked back down enjoying the scenery along the trail in the daylight. We stopped by Sloan Lake for a snack and made it back to the Jeep in about 1.5 hours.
Diane on top of her first 14er!
Handies Peak Summit by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view of Handies Peak from the north with the three guys we shared the summit with this morning.
Top of Handies by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down to the Cinnamon Pass Road which we would be taking back home in a few hours.
Cinnamon Pass Road by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Boulder Gulch below as we start our descent.
Boulder Gulch by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane on the trail as we make our way back down.
Handies Peak Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sloan Lake reflections.
Sloan Lake by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sloan Lake Reflection by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Hiking back through American Basin in the daylight.
American Basin Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After the hike, we returned to our campsite to take down the tent and then drove over Cinnamon Pass to Animas Forks and followed the Animas River to Silverton for an early lunch at the Kendall Mountain Cafe. They definitely have my favorite burger in Silverton, it's just too bad they are only open until 3:00pm. After lunch we drove over Red Mountain Pass to get back home.
View into the basin that the Cinnamon Pass Road climbs up through.
Cinnamon Pass Scenery by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down the Animas River Valley as we descend from Cinnamon Pass to Animas Forks.
Animas River Valley by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane was happy to have hiked her first 14er, and while it was difficult for her, she said it wasn't as tough as she thought it was going to be. Maybe because I've taken her on tougher hikes before, just not at quite that high of an elevation...
>> Handies Peak II Photo Gallery
>> The Original Trip Report on ADVENTR.CO
Featured image for home page:
Diane has been hiking in the mountains with me all summer and was finally ready to try climbing her first 14er. She left the decision of which 14er we would climb up to me, so I decided we would hike up Handies Peak in the San Juan Mountains. Handies Peak was my first 14er back in 2010, so I knew it would be a good one to start out on. It's also one of the easier hikes at 2.9 miles in length (one way) with 2,500 feet of elevation gain. She has hiked longer trails with more elevation gain with me before, so I was confident she would make it to the top. Since Handies was my first, I was also looking forward to climbing it again to see how much easier it would be for me the second time around. Plus I was looking forward to getting an earlier start this time so I could watch the sunrise with a better camera from near the top.
We left home on Saturday morning with plans to hike Handies Peak (14,048 feet) bright and early on Sunday morning, so we took our time by driving the Alpine Loop to the trailhead in American Basin. We left the highway just outside of Ouray and followed the rough road along the Uncompahgre River and Mineral Creek, past Mineral Point, and then up to Engineer Pass at 12,800 feet. While we were up at the pass we thought it would be a good warm up to hike the short distance to the top of Engineer Mountain (13,218 feet). It was an easy hike from the pass and offered great views all around, including 14ers Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 feet), Wetterhorn Peak (14,015 feet) and Mount Sneffels (14,150 feet). There was also a nice view down into the upper portion of Bear Creek, which we had hiked partway up a few weeks ago.
A nice view up Poughkeepsie Gulch as we drove up the Alpine Loop towards Engineer Pass.
Poughkeepsie Gulch by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mineral Creek Road by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I love the shadows from the clouds on the alpine tundra above tree-line.
Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Tundra Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Almost to Engineer Pass.
Up to Engineer Pass by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Darley Mountain (13,260 feet) comes into view.
Darley Mountain by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view towards the Sneffels Range from Oh! Point.
Sneffels View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down into the upper reaches of Bear Creek.
Bear Creek by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
More shadows on the tundra towards the Sneffels Range.
Sneffels Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A straightforward hike to the top of Engineer Mountain.
Engineer Mountain by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Nice view from the top of Wetterhorn Peak (left) and Uncompahgre Peak (right).
Wetterhorn & Uncompahgre by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
View from the top.
Engineer Summit View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
I liked the dark shadow of the cloud below.
Cloud Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane on the summit.
Engineer Mountain Summit by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Engineer View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Coming back down from the top.
Coming Down by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After spending some time on the summit and then hiking back to the Jeep, we continued over the pass and dropped down to Henson Creek, which we followed to Lake City. We made one stop along the way and hiked down to Whitmore Falls.
Whitmore Falls by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Whitmore Detail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane at Whitmore Falls by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
We stopped in Lake City for a late lunch before driving past Lake San Cristobal and following the Lake Fork of the Gunnison to Burrows Park. We found a nice campsite under Edith Mountain (12,620 feet) a few miles before the trailhead in American Basin that would work nicely for an early start the following morning. After setting up camp we took a quick drive up into American Basin to check it out for the morning and then went to bed early.
Our campsite for the night.
Lake Fork Camp by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Handies Peak towers above the trailhead in American Basin. Our destination for the following morning.
Handies Peak by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Shadows and light in American Basin.
American Basin Shadows by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Two-track to our campsite.
Camp Two-Track by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
On Sunday morning we woke up to my alarm at 3:30am and were on our way up the trail to Handies Peak by 4:00am. It was beautiful hiking below the peaks of American Basin under the stars and Milky Way with just enough moonlight that we didn't need to use our headlamps. We saw quite a few meteorites shoot across the sky from the Perseid Meteor Shower that has been going on this month. We hiked slowly but at a steady pace and made it to the saddle below Handies Peak just before sunrise and were able to watch the early morning sunlight strike the surrounding mountains from near the top as the Earth's shadow moved slowly across the sky to the west. It was a beautiful sight and a great way to start the day; definitely worth waking up at 3:30am for!
Looking back down the trail towards American Peak and Sloan Lake as I neared the saddle. There was finally enough light to start taking some photos.
Trail to the Saddle by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
View from the saddle.
Saddle by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The Earth's shadow above American Peak and Sloan Lake.
American Earth Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Small wildflowers along the trail.
Trail Above by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
From this elevation the Earth Shadow seemed to last forever.
Earth Shadow by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Finally, the first sunlight of the day begins to strike to tops of the surrounding mountains.
First Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Then it breaks over the ridge I am hiking along to warm me up.
Sunrise by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane coming up the trail behind me.
Coming Up by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Beautiful views all around!
Basin Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mountain Light by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Mountain View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The last stretch of the trail to the summit.
Trail to the Top by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Almost to the top!
Coming Up Handies by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
My first view from the summit with Uncompahgre Peak in the upper left and Whitecross Mountain (13,542 feet) below.
Handies View by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane made it to the top of Handies a little before 7:00am, which was how long I figured it would take. I don't think that just under three hours is bad for 2,500 feet of elevation gain on your first 14er. It was certainly much easier for me this time than the first time I did this peak back in 2010, too. We spent about half an hour on the summit and then slowly hiked back down enjoying the scenery along the trail in the daylight. We stopped by Sloan Lake for a snack and made it back to the Jeep in about 1.5 hours.
Diane on top of her first 14er!
Handies Peak Summit by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view of Handies Peak from the north with the three guys we shared the summit with this morning.
Top of Handies by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down to the Cinnamon Pass Road which we would be taking back home in a few hours.
Cinnamon Pass Road by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Boulder Gulch below as we start our descent.
Boulder Gulch by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane on the trail as we make our way back down.
Handies Peak Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sloan Lake reflections.
Sloan Lake by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Sloan Lake Reflection by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Hiking back through American Basin in the daylight.
American Basin Trail by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
After the hike, we returned to our campsite to take down the tent and then drove over Cinnamon Pass to Animas Forks and followed the Animas River to Silverton for an early lunch at the Kendall Mountain Cafe. They definitely have my favorite burger in Silverton, it's just too bad they are only open until 3:00pm. After lunch we drove over Red Mountain Pass to get back home.
View into the basin that the Cinnamon Pass Road climbs up through.
Cinnamon Pass Scenery by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking down the Animas River Valley as we descend from Cinnamon Pass to Animas Forks.
Animas River Valley by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Diane was happy to have hiked her first 14er, and while it was difficult for her, she said it wasn't as tough as she thought it was going to be. Maybe because I've taken her on tougher hikes before, just not at quite that high of an elevation...
>> Handies Peak II Photo Gallery
>> The Original Trip Report on ADVENTR.CO
Featured image for home page:
