One of many
trip reports under the
SilGro home page for Alan Silverstein and Cathie
Grow.
Email me at
ajs@frii.com.
Last update: March 30, 2024
(Previous trip report: 1986_0720_Redcloud,Sunshine.htm)
(A
Fourteener
trip report.)
After Redcloud and Sunshine we headed for Handies Peak. Dave Landers and I got a decent night's sleep a mile down the road from American Basin. The next morning the sunrise was a pretty pastel red. Down-valley, Redcloud Peak was sprinkled with a delicate tracery of fresh white snow, a phenomenal sight.
We packed up and drove up to the American Basin turnoff. There was a large, rock-hard snowdrift across the road just at the start, at 11320', so we had to hike from there, starting at 0635, adding maybe a mile and 500'. We passed a Basque sheep rancher's tent, several of his horses, and later dodged a huge number of his sheep.
We decided to split up at about 11800'. I elected to go directly to the summit up the west face of Handies Peak while Dave followed the trail a while further. Unknown to me, later he also cut up the face rather than take the trail all the way around to the south.
(Splitting up wasn't the safest thing to do, but it was still a lot better than climbing solo. We covered for each other in that we knew each other's route and were on the mountain together, with established meeting times and places. And we each got some solitary climbing time and route-finding.)
Handies was a nice climb because it was easy both up and down. Going up we ascended directly on firm rock ribs, ledges, and grassy slopes. There was even some decent snow for awhile. The peak was almost always in sight, and the basin dropped away below us. Even though it was increasingly cloudy, then started to snow, and I was sure I had to rush to make it to the top not too long after Dave, I enjoyed it.
I reached a rounded ridge at 13700', then went south to the summit of Handies Peak. I arrived in blowing snow, temperature 39 deg, surrounded by heavy clouds, at 0912 (taking 2:40 to climb 2730'). There was no sign of Dave, precious little shelter on top in the lee of a small cairn, and very limited visibility. The top was not impressive; it was a long, broad, sinuous ridge.
While munching lunch I studied the south ridge with binoculars, wondering where Dave was. Well for once I beat him to the top -- by all of 17 minutes!
Handies was reputed to have one of the best summit views in the San Juans. (And a couple of years later when I returned, I agreed!) I waited a while hoping for good photos, but departed disappointed at 0947 following Dave down the south ridge. The first 1000' or so was a real joy, a fast galomph down on fine gravel scree.
After a while I cut north again on the west face and found some glissades on old snow. As fast as I dropped, Dave still met me at the trail (road) down in the basin. It was apparently closed (by a sign, no posts or fences) at about the right place to start up anyway.
We were back at our vehicles by 1115 (1:30 coming down). If we'd been more gung-ho, I suppose we really could have gone up the night before for sunset. It would have been a decent peak on which to have that experience if we checked out the route (trail) down before it got dark.
At 1215 we continued up the 4WD road to Cinnamon Pass, 12640'. It was a pretty drive with a nice view of Handies Peak, and only 2.4 miles and 20 minutes to the pass from there. Coming down the back side was rougher, and it was a long drive on dirt roads to Silverton -- 15.8 miles took 1:10. I'd have liked to stop for more pictures and scenery, but it was raining and we were late to catch the train...
(Next trip report: 1986_0721-23_Windom,Sunlight.htm)