2013 Map of Handies Peak

About this map

Eureka sits at the southern edge of this San Juan Mountains survey, a location defined by the confluence of the Animas River and several of its forks. This high-altitude landscape is crisscrossed by a dense network of county roads and trails that speak to the region's intense mining history, including Co RD-2, Co RD-24, and the road to the Rose Cabin site. The terrain is characterized by steep glacial basins and prominent summits such as Handies Peak and Engineer Mountain. Key mountain passes like Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass, and Denver Pass provide historical routes between the drainage basins of the W Fork Animas River and Henson Cr. Notable alpine water bodies such as Lake Emma, Parson Lake, and Lake Como are scattered throughout the high basins, while deep drainages like California Gulch and Poughkeepsie Gulch reflect the era's heavy geological prospecting.