La Plata Peak Trip Report 11/24/2008

Peak(s):	La Plata Peak - 14,344 feet
Date Posted:	11/24/2008
Date Climbed:	11/22/2008
Author:	DHatfield

A beautiful day on La Plata
La Plata Peak (14,336') Route: Northwest Ridge Partner(s): Susan Paul and Uwe Sartori Trailhead: Lake Creek Distance: 9.50 miles Elevation Gain: 4,500' The weather forecast for the day looked great being in the upper 30's and lower 40's and sunny. Great November weather if you ask me. Since it has been a few weeks since doing a 14er we decided on La Plata Peak and our friend Uwe joined us on this outing. We left Colorado Springs at 3:15am and headed to the Lake Creek trailhead near Independence Pass where as we neared the trailhead the highway was pretty icy in places. We arrived at the trailhead at 6:00am. After gearing up we started hiking down the icy road for a little less then � mile under clear though dark skies with just a slight chill in the early morning air - a pleasant 21 degrees. Stopping briefly to sign-in at the register we continued east up the trail toward La Plata Peak. The first � mile or so of the trail was well packed and easy to follow however shortly after crossing over the bridge that spanned a chasm the tracks went all over the place and we momentarily lost the trail; after crossing the second creek we found the trail again. Back on the trail we started heading south as the trail starts up La Plata Gulch with the trail mostly covered in loose granular snow with some icy and hard pack spots of snow to add a little spice to the hike. After hiking for awhile and arriving at the marsh full of willow we got our first views of La Plata Peak and shortly after that the climb started to get steeper. A look up to La Plata Peak from the marsh At about 11,000 feet we started up the short, but steep gully that had a fair amount of snow - cutting switchbacks helped make it a little easier. A look up the short steep gully Above the gully the trail started to traverse the northeast ridge and after a while we stopped briefly to don crampons to help aid in traction and to help speed things up. As we climbed high the views kept getting better and better as always. Not to mention getting in the sunlight was very inviting. Starting the long traverse up to the ridge At the top of the northwest ridge of La Plata Peak we were greeted with awesome views of Ellingwood Ridge. Part of Ellingwood Ridge Looking toward the summit I hope to do that sometime as it looks like it would be some fun scrambling. La Plata Peak was getting closer, but still a ways away and the wind was a little stronger here so we stopped to put on our wind shells. From about approximately 13,200 feet or so the snow fairly drifted and required some laborious post holing and eventually we took our crampons off so we could stick with the rock more to avoid the deeper snow. Upper ramparts of La Plata Man it's windy out here As we neared the summit there seemed to be a couple of false rises fooling me into thinking we were near the summit only to realize nope still another rise, however after a while we reached the summit. At last the summit is near It was a little windy and chilly on the summit so we didn't stay long on the summit. Congrats Susan and Uwe!! Susan on summit bracing against the wind. Congrats Susan!!! Me on the summit Another shot of Ellingwood Ridge Looking south We looked over to East La Plata as we thought about climbing it, but we punted it since it was starting to get late not to mention the terrain over to it with all the snow didn't look that appealing either. The views were spectacular. Most peaks to the south didn't appear to have as much snow as the peaks to the west and northwest. The trio just below the summit So we just took some pictures and headed down just below the summit to get out of the wind for a brief break. After our break we headed back down and luckily heading down was for the most part uneventful other then the slight detour at the bottom getting momentarily lost, but Susan and Uwe helped lead us out, thanks guys. Tired but happy we arrived at the car for the long drive back home. What an awesome day in the mountains and thanks Susan and Uwe for allowing me to tag along on this trip, not to mention break trail. Look forward to hiking with you guys again sometime. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

A beautiful day on La Plata

La Plata Peak (14,336')
Route: Northwest Ridge
Partner(s): Susan Paul and Uwe Sartori
Trailhead: Lake Creek
Distance: 9.50 miles
Elevation Gain: 4,500'

The weather forecast for the day looked great being in the upper 30's and lower 40's and sunny. Great November weather if you ask me. Since it has been a few weeks since doing a 14er we decided on La Plata Peak and our friend Uwe joined us on this outing.

We left Colorado Springs at 3:15am and headed to the Lake Creek trailhead near Independence Pass where as we neared the trailhead the highway was pretty icy in places. We arrived at the trailhead at 6:00am.

After gearing up we started hiking down the icy road for a little less then � mile under clear though dark skies with just a slight chill in the early morning air - a pleasant 21 degrees. Stopping briefly to sign-in at the register we continued east up the trail toward La Plata Peak. The first � mile or so of the trail was well packed and easy to follow however shortly after crossing over the bridge that spanned a chasm the tracks went all over the place and we momentarily lost the trail; after crossing the second creek we found the trail again. Back on the trail we started heading south as the trail starts up La Plata Gulch with the trail mostly covered in loose granular snow with some icy and hard pack spots of snow to add a little spice to the hike. After hiking for awhile and arriving at the marsh full of willow we got our first views of La Plata Peak and shortly after that the climb started to get steeper.

A look up to La Plata Peak from the marsh

At about 11,000 feet we started up the short, but steep gully that had a fair amount of snow - cutting switchbacks helped make it a little easier.

A look up the short steep gully

Above the gully the trail started to traverse the northeast ridge and after a while we stopped briefly to don crampons to help aid in traction and to help speed things up. As we climbed high the views kept getting better and better as always. Not to mention getting in the sunlight was very inviting.

Starting the long traverse up to the ridge

At the top of the northwest ridge of La Plata Peak we were greeted with awesome views of Ellingwood Ridge.

Part of Ellingwood Ridge

Looking toward the summit

I hope to do that sometime as it looks like it would be some fun scrambling. La Plata Peak was getting closer, but still a ways away and the wind was a little stronger here so we stopped to put on our wind shells.

From about approximately 13,200 feet or so the snow fairly drifted and required some laborious post holing and eventually we took our crampons off so we could stick with the rock more to avoid the deeper snow.

Upper ramparts of La Plata

Man it's windy out here

As we neared the summit there seemed to be a couple of false rises fooling me into thinking we were near the summit only to realize nope still another rise, however after a while we reached the summit.

At last the summit is near

It was a little windy and chilly on the summit so we didn't stay long on the summit. Congrats Susan and Uwe!!

Susan on summit bracing against the wind. Congrats Susan!!!

Me on the summit

Another shot of Ellingwood Ridge

Looking south

We looked over to East La Plata as we thought about climbing it, but we punted it since it was starting to get late not to mention the terrain over to it with all the snow didn't look that appealing either. The views were spectacular. Most peaks to the south didn't appear to have as much snow as the peaks to the west and northwest.

The trio just below the summit

So we just took some pictures and headed down just below the summit to get out of the wind for a brief break. After our break we headed back down and luckily heading down was for the most part uneventful other then the slight detour at the bottom getting momentarily lost, but Susan and Uwe helped lead us out, thanks guys. Tired but happy we arrived at the car for the long drive back home.

What an awesome day in the mountains and thanks Susan and Uwe for allowing me to tag along on this trip, not to mention break trail. Look forward to hiking with you guys again sometime.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

susanjoypaul	East La Plata 11/25/2008 1:46pm So close, and yet so gnarly... it looks like we‘ll be doing La Plata AGAIN, this time via Ellingwood Ridge (variety, spice, life and all that), if we really want that east summit. Next year... and probably not in La November! Thanks for another terrific day in the mountains, guys. It was La Fun.
cftbq	Punt 11/25/2008 9:55pm Yeah; I know the feeling! ELP is on my ”had-to-bail-well-another-time” list, too...
Yog	Rock Hopping 11/26/2008 4:09pm I went through a lot of that rock hopping/snow floundering fun getting to the top of this peak a few weeks ago, sounds like you guys may have had a better time of it than I, but I had a solo summit to myself I loved the views of Sayres Benchmark, quite a magnificent peak, worthy of a climb itself! Nice write-up, thanks for La Sharing! lol
uwe	Doug, You Are So Modest 11/26/2008 4:33pm First, tks for allowing me to tag along. Always fun to hook up with you guys. Second, tks for breaking trail much of the time. Third, tks for driving. Fourth, I can‘t believe that you hauled your butt out the next morning and hit the trail again. You are la animal! Let‘s do it again.
DHatfield	Thanks... 12/1/2008 3:09pm for the comments guys. Yea Uwe, We need to hook up again sometime for a climb. I‘m not la animal I am just La Crazy!!
krogsje	Taking on La Plata soon! 12/2/2008 5:18am Thanks for the great description of your climb... Me and two friends from Alabama are coming to Denver this weekend and will give La Plata a shot and the description of your trek up was very helpful. Hopefully we have as good of weather as you guys did.

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