La Plata Peak Trip Report 08/26/2013

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	La Plata Peak - 14,344 feet
Date Posted	08/26/2013
Date Climbed	08/25/2013
Author	zoriloco

Great Dia on La Plata
Still working on getting the 14ers this weekend I was able to head out to La Plata Peak. We were following the instructions to the TH late at night and found that if they could add to the directions "once you get to the Winfield town with the log buildings you will find a fork. The left side will take you to the Huron Peak TH and the Right hand will take you to La Plata Peak TH" it would be much easier. Anyhow, We arrived to a nice campsite around 10:30pm and set up camp. We had a pretty hard time lighting up a fire because everything was so wet (and had no fire starter) But after heating up some water and having dinner we hit the sleeping bags. We drove my friends Subaru Impreza and while it did hit rocks in some parts it wasnt nothing major. We made it all the way up to were you find the obvious rough road to the right. BTW the we found that the Registry is realy not much then a wooden sign with the words La Plata carved in with a knife. We got up at 4:30ish and started walking around 5:30am. Ohh let me say we had rain on and off all night. As some TR have said this trail is not very much traveled so we found lots of overgrown branches that kept on dumping water on us all the way to above treeline, and even then the marsh kept on getting us wet. As I had been told by several people the views on the meadow were awesome Up until here everything was fine and dandy, and then we start thinking where is this trail taking us?? We soon realized this was going to get high really quick. The trail gains a lot of elevation in a very short time in this section, which is VERY steep and with loose dirt and rocks. When we got to the Crest of the mountain we did get rewarded with great views Up to this area the trail has been well defined, but that would not be the case in the last part of the trail. I had seen some fog moving in and told my buddy we have to step it up and summit quick. As we're going up the trail I hear my buddy say..... "FAWK" I turn around and he's shoe lace had ripped. So we stop for a quick trail repair. From here we could see the summit. Quick stop at the summit The Flag as always Ok now lets get out of here.......... Clouds moving in quick Looking back at the summit covered in clouds I wont lie the section coming right down from the summit was my last favorite sections. Cairns everywhere, no real route to follow. Loose rocks. Once in the meadows we got hit with some rain. I was wondering how the group that we saw going up while we were coming down would be doing... :S At the end we had to pick up camp under the rain but as we were leaving got rewarded by this rainbow

Great Dia on La Plata

Still working on getting the 14ers this weekend I was able to head out to La Plata Peak. We were following the instructions to the TH late at night and found that if they could add to the directions "once you get to the Winfield town with the log buildings you will find a fork. The left side will take you to the Huron Peak TH and the Right hand will take you to La Plata Peak TH" it would be much easier.

Anyhow,

We arrived to a nice campsite around 10:30pm and set up camp. We had a pretty hard time lighting up a fire because everything was so wet (and had no fire starter) But after heating up some water and having dinner we hit the sleeping bags. We drove my friends Subaru Impreza and while it did hit rocks in some parts it wasnt nothing major. We made it all the way up to were you find the obvious rough road to the right. BTW the we found that the Registry is realy not much then a wooden sign with the words La Plata carved in with a knife.

We got up at 4:30ish and started walking around 5:30am. Ohh let me say we had rain on and off all night. As some TR have said this trail is not very much traveled so we found lots of overgrown branches that kept on dumping water on us all the way to above treeline, and even then the marsh kept on getting us wet.

As I had been told by several people the views on the meadow were awesome

Up until here everything was fine and dandy, and then we start thinking where is this trail taking us??

We soon realized this was going to get high really quick. The trail gains a lot of elevation in a very short time in this section, which is VERY steep and with loose dirt and rocks.

When we got to the Crest of the mountain we did get rewarded with great views

Up to this area the trail has been well defined, but that would not be the case in the last part of the trail.

I had seen some fog moving in and told my buddy we have to step it up and summit quick. As we're going up the trail I hear my buddy say..... "FAWK" I turn around and he's shoe lace had ripped. So we stop for a quick trail repair. From here we could see the summit.

Quick stop at the summit

The Flag as always

Ok now lets get out of here.......... Clouds moving in quick

Looking back at the summit covered in clouds

I wont lie the section coming right down from the summit was my last favorite sections. Cairns everywhere, no real route to follow. Loose rocks.

Once in the meadows we got hit with some rain. I was wondering how the group that we saw going up while we were coming down would be doing... :S

At the end we had to pick up camp under the rain but as we were leaving got rewarded by this rainbow

Comments or Questions

MtnHub	That's a nice route! 8/27/2013 1:43am and some very nice pics too!! Thanks for your post! :D
HikerHankey	Route? 8/27/2013 5:45pm Is this the SW ridge route? Views look awesome! -Hankey
zoriloco	Thanks! 8/27/2013 7:29pm and yes It is the SW Route.
rajz06	That basin... 8/29/2013 3:25pm ...is an absolute beauty and you pictures certainly do justice to it. Congrats!
BostonBD	Great photography! 8/31/2013 2:50am Beautiful and well done

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