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 Peak:  La Plata Peak
 Route:  Northwest Ridge
 Range:  Sawatch
 Posted By:  mzapapas
 Date of Info:  6/24/2015
 Date Posted:  6/25/2015
Details

Took snowshoes and microspikes, but didn't need either. The snow covers parts of the trail between 12,300-12,750 and also from 13,000-13,500 (my best guesses of elevation based on the route description). It's easy enough to avoid the snow if you go off trail, and I would've been fine in boots. Stay to the right of the snow in both those sections. I ended up using snowshoes for a couple hundred feet between 13,000-13,500 just because it was easier to walk straight up the snow than to navigate the rocks. On the way down (around 12:15p), the snow was too soft, and the rocks were fine, just trickier. I don't recommend wasting the weight of any snow gear. Just walk around it. The few spots near the summit with small snow patches are fine in boots. Also as an FYI, a couple on the summit had just completed the Southwest route and didn't have any snow gear. One was in shorts. They both seemed to have managed just fine.


Comments or Questions
dweiss2
User
Which group?
6/25/2015 1:47pm
Which group were you? Probably summited around the same time. I was the guy with the large green backpack and bandana from the Southwest ridge route. It was myself and another girl.


mzapapas
Girl and Dad
6/25/2015 1:51pm
I was the girl in pink, with my dad, joking that he "ruined my time". Beautiful day for a hike. Thanks for taking our picture! And for making sure I went the right way to the summit.


dweiss2
User
Awesome
6/26/2015 2:19pm
Glad you made it back ok! Also glad I could help!



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