Route Description

From Lake City, drive 2 miles south on Colorado 149 and turn right on the Lake San Cristibol road (County Road 30). This is the southern entrance to the "Alpine Loop" scenic byway. Follow the signs to Cinnamon Pass. Drive about 20 miles to a signed fork in the road. Left is to American Basin and right is to Cinnamon Pass. Turn left. If you do not have a 4WD vehicle with good clearance, park in the pull-offs near the start of this road. It's 0.9 mile to the trailhead from the start of the American Basin road. After 0.2 mile, you must cross a stream. There is more parking in this area. At the end of the road, the trailhead has a large parking area and the trail leading to Handies is obvious.

Details:

If you parked below the trailhead, walk up the 4WD road, cross the stream near 11,400' (Photo #1), and reach the main trailhead at 11,700'. It's 0.9 mile from the start of the 4WD road to the trailhead. Photo #2 shows the trail as it leaves the trailhead and climbs south into the basin. Follow the trail south and then southeast into the basin - Photo #3. Depending on the amount of snow that is left in American Basin, you may have to search for the trail in some areas. As you approach 12,400', curve around a small hill (Photo #4), and continue southeast to reach the base of a slope in the middle of the basin - Photo #5. Photo #6 is a higher-angle view of this slope. Zig zag a couple of hundred feet up the slope to reach 12,700' where you can now see the east end of the basin - Photo #7.

Continue east as the trail descends slightly to the lowest point in the east end of the basin - Photo #8. Handies is up to your left (northeast), but the trail now turns right (south) and climbs to Sloan Lake before traversing back toward Handies. Photo #9 and Photo #10 are different views of the slope below Sloan Lake. Climb 300' south up the slope to reach a trail junction just north of the lake - Photo #11.

Turn left and hike east up onto a rocky area where much of the remaining route can now be seen - Photo #12. Traverse northeast across a talus slope to reach the Southwest Slope. Continue on the great trail to the middle of the slope before turning right near 13,200'. Photo #13 looks back down on the route from this area. Ascend the grassy, Southwest Slope (Photo #14) to reach the 13,500-foot saddle between Handies Peak and Point 13,588'. Photo #15 shows the remaining route along the South Ridge. Turn left and follow the good trail up the gentle ridge. Photo #16 was taken 300' below the summit. Taken on top, Photo #17 looks back down over American Basin.