Route: West Side via American Basin

Team: Ted (solo)

Handies was more fun that Redcloud and Sunshine the day before. This would be the last 14er I skied this spring, bringing his grand total to eight peaks.

American Basin is pretty high, even with a lowered snow closure. The route up is mostly easy skinning, with a few steep switchbacks. Adding five inches or so of new snow from yesterdays passing weather and it was shaping up to be a good ski.

A quick shot with the disposable camera and it was time to head down. Back at the truck a huge plow came by and said I could be the first car of the season to go over Cinnamon Pass, if I was heading that way. Sounds good I thought, it was a cool way to visit Silverton for my first time. The snow walls were 15-20 feet high!

On the road back to Aspen I recall thinking about the prospect of skiing all the peaks— it was a real long way off, but still fun to think about. Someday maybe.