Handies Peak

Handies Peak — Sunday, August 30
Note: We will be doing Uncompadhre Peak the day before on Saturday. Feel free to sign up for one or both.

📅 Date: Sunday, August 30
⏰ Start Time: 4:00 AM
Due to possible rain in the afternoon or late morning, we need to leave right at 4am. I will not be waiting the usual 10-15 minutes past 4am for everyone.

HANDIES PEAK:
Handies Peak is a beautiful 14er in the San Juan Mountains near Lake City. The standard Southwest Slopes route is Class 1 and is considered one of the more beginner-friendly Colorado 14ers.
If you're new to 14ers but are in good physical condition and comfortable with the distance and elevation, you're welcome to join!

IMPORTANT: VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS:

• 4WD/AWD and high-clearance vehicles are recommended for the road to the upper trailhead. I’ll do my best to coordinate rides if needed, but I can’t guarantee transportation since I’m a Meetup leader, not a paid guide.

If you have a high-clearance AWD/4WD vehicle and are willing to help shuttle participants, please message me or comment below. Riders can chip in for gas.

TRAILHEAD:

• American Basin Trailhead

📍 Near Lake City, Colorado click here for TH info.
The road to the upper trailhead is rough in places, so please make sure your vehicle is appropriate for the road conditions.

ROUTE INFORMATION:
🏔️ Peak: Handies Peak
🥾 Route: Southwest Slopes
🏔️ Range: San Juan Mountains
📍 Location: Near Lake City, Colorado
🧗 Difficulty: Class 1
👍 Beginner-friendly: Fit beginners are welcome

HIKE STATISTICS:
1. From the 4WD Trailhead
🥾 Distance: Approximately 5.5 miles round trip
📈 Elevation Gain: Approximately 2,500 ft
🏔️ Peak Elevation: 14,048 ft

2. From the 2WD Parking Area:

• 🥾 Distance: Approximately 7.75 miles round trip
• 📈 Elevation Gain: Approximately 2,800 ft

The additional distance comes from having to walk the road to the upper trailhead if your vehicle can't make it farther.

WEATHER:

• I’ll monitor NOAA, OpenSnow, and Mountain-Forecast as the hike approaches and will update the group if conditions change.

CAMPING:
There are dispersed camping options in the Lake City area and near the access roads to the trailhead. Camping nearby can make an early summit start much easier.

MAPS & NAVIGATION:
I recommend downloading the route information, photos, and GPX file from 14ers.com before the hike.
I’ll have the route saved on my phone, but please download your own backup rather than relying solely on someone else's navigation.

USEFUL LINKS:
14ers.com Route: https://www.14ers.com/route.php?route=hand1
AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/handies-peak