Cinnamon Pass in the Snow

After trying to hike Handies Peak in the snow, Becca and I tried to jeep over Cinnamon Pass to Silverton.  There was snow on the trail that made conditions slippery, but we made it to the top.  Unfortunately, we couldn't make it all the way to Silverton because other travelers reported that the other side of the pass was rather treacherous, but the beautiful views made the drive worth it.

Morning moon over the Pinnacles

Morning light on the snow-covered Continental Divide and Lake San Cristobal

American Basin as seen from Cinnamon Pass

Looking down Cinnamon Pass back toward Lake City

Looking down Cinnamon Pass back toward Lake City

Hiking Handies in the Snow

With new snow blanketing the mountains, my sister and I jumped in the jeep and headed toward our favorite fourteener, Handies Peak.  We didn't make the summit, but the combination of fall colors, new snow, and bluebird skies was absolutely breathtaking.

Making our way up Cinnamon Pass to American Basin and the Handies Peak trailhead

Getting into the snow

Becca claims Cinnamon Pass

Made it to American Basin, now time to start hiking

American Basin

Looking back down toward the trailhead

Trudging through new snow

The top of Handies will have to wait for another day

Post-holing to Sloan Lake: exhausting but beautiful

Sloan Lake

Exploring Old Mining Routes

After driving the jeep over to Silverton with my parents earlier this summer, I did the same thing with Kyle and Allison, except this time around we explored a new route to Silverton and drove all the way to Ouray.  Engineer Pass coming up from Ouray was very rough, but the new route to Silverton (California Gulch to Hurricane Pass by Lake Como) was absolutely gorgeous.

California Gulch

Old boiler along California Pass, high above tree line

Kyle and Allison near the very top of California Pass

Looking down Poughkeepsie Gulch at Lake Como from California Pass

California Pass

California Gulch

Lake Como and Poughkeepsie Gulch

Allison and Kyle at Lake Como

Lake Como

Lake Como from Hurricane Pass

Ouray

Ouray

Engineer Pass above Ouray

Looking down Engineer Pass toward Silverton

Engineer Pass

Engineer Pass with Uncompahgre in the background (right of center)

Uncompahgre and Engineer Mountain

Oh! Point

Oh! Point

Uncompahgre from Oh! Point

Wetterhorn (left of center) and Uncompahgre (right of center) from Engineer Pass