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 Peak:  Handies Peak
 Route:  East Slopes
 Range:  San Juan
 Posted By:  RockyMountainMustang
 Date of Info:  8/29/2011
 Date Posted:  8/29/2011
Details

Handies from Grizzly Gulch is clear and well-marked. The Gerry Roach 14ers book made it out to sound like a bit of bushwhacking, but it was pretty broken in. There may be one or two 10ft long spots in the upper meadow where you may have trouble if you are hiking by headlamp, but overall, the trail is obvious even in the dim light of dawn. It seems like Grizzly Gulch is much less used than American Basin, because I didn't encounter anyone the whole day. Plenty of wildflowers still in bloom, so enjoy it soon because they look ready to retire for the season.

NOTE: The 18.5 mile stretch of dirt road along Cinnamon Pass to the Grizzly Gulch/Clear Creek TH is a beast. It's all peachy until you have to make that right turn up the really steep road, and then it gets rough. It says it's 2wd, and I got my Taurus up it, but bottomed out once going up and 3x coming down. Expect cruising speed of 10mph in this rough patch of the road (I think it's the last 4mi of the 18.5). Similar to the Kite Lake Road or the road up to Grays and Torreys, only worse.



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