Handies Peak

This past weekend I traveled with a group to far southwestern Colorado and the magnificent San Juan Mountains.  We camped Saturday night in the beautiful American Basin and rose early Sunday morning to climb 14,048 foot Handies Peak.  Near the beginning of our hike the slopes were covered with multi-colored Columbines and during the hike we saw flowers of all kinds including, Bluebells, Paintbrush, Parry Primrose, Elephant’s Head, Monkshood, Purple Fringe, Bistort, Larkspur, Marsh Marigolds, Alpine Avens, and Bitter Cress.  High on the mountain there were Sky Pilot and Old Man on the Mountain.  On Saturday in nearby Lake City, down in valley, there was a smoky haze from the Colorado fires, but up high on Sunday morning it was sunny and relatively clear.  From the top of Handies, we saw nothing but mountains for a hundred miles, including many fourteeners.  All were amazed by the view.  On the way down, we stopped at a lake situated below a sharp ridge of peaks, including 13,800 foot American Peak.  This was one of the most scenic hikes of my life.