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Peak(s)  La Plata Peak  -  14,344 feet
Date Posted  05/23/2010
Date Climbed   05/17/2010
Author  Mountain Woman
 La Plata   
I hadn't done a 14er since last August and was dying to get out. It was late in the afternoon and I could see multiple avalanche paths on the peaks visible southwest from Twin Lakes.
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cornices on a mt. viewable from Twin Lakes
I decided to hike up La Plata Gulch and get an early start the next am (maybe even summit that night once it was cold enough out).
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happy beginnings
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mt. to the w. of the gulch
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S. end of the gulch
Unfortunately, I arrived to the basin already a good way up to the ridge (southern side of the gulch).
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Where I arrived@the basin
It was 6 pm and I thought I might be able to summit that night, hoping the temp would drop and harden the snow a little as evening came on. I began my approach diagonally.
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goal -camped on the S. end fo the ridge right before the little notch before starting the last 500-1000 ft? ascent
I tried to avoid snowy patches which were obviously too risky and stick to areas where I could dig my ice-axe in. Any dirt was wet and loose with snowmelt. Some areas of snow had a bit of a hard crust on top and pebbly like stuff that was too uncompressible to hold my axe. I had to choose a different line and make my goal the ridge (where the solid and exposed hard rock would be safer). I knew this would take longer, and it did.
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re-routed towards this ridge a little later, south of this photo


I realized it was too risky to summit that night and decided that I would just sleep in my bivy once I gained the ridge. Each step was careful and slow and each new position tenuous. Once I slipped 2 feet before arresting. Had never done that before. My heart raced and I prayed constantly the rest of the way up. It would not be the best to sleep on the ridge, but the safest course of travel now was up and I had no choice.

I gained the ridge and was in my bivy by 9pm. I could see lightning in the sky to the southeast and put up my ice-axe and poles as receptors. No I was really frightened. "What an idiot I am," I thought to myself. "What was I thinking? What was my back-up plan from the beginning." I had prided myself on doing 21 14ers and subsequently 12 in my first two summers here. I had injured my knees last summer or I might have finished up then. I thought I was always prepared, always cautious (though adventuresome), always had a bigger pack than others I saw, it seemed (i.e. more gear, food, water, etc. for emergencies). I counted the minutes and hours till day-break. Sometime early in the morning it did snow. The wind was as forecasted. The snow that fell was no more that could have been predicted. I was as cold as I thought I might be having left my sleeping bag behind. So scared was I by my near fatal slip and my own stupidity. Layered in my winter gear, I lay like a snowman knocked on his side, too fat to really lay flat. My prayers for safety continued throughout the night.

It was with great joy that I greeted the morning@6 and prepared to descend- yes, descend. I had anticipated that the snow would only be safe@this time. I had not anticipated the horrible pea-gravel-like snow. The risk was too great. After warming my feet somewhat with a hot-water bottle (the searing pain I felt in them later on during my descent let me know I hadn't spent long enough re-warming). I warmed some Gatorade and drank. That was all I could tolerate. I had spent the night nauseated and with a headache. I had developed altitude sickness about the time I reached the gulch the night before. On later reflection, I realized that this condition might have been what contributed to my poor decisions.

Unfortunately, I can get hypoglycemic quickly. My goal was to cross the ridge and descend as quickly as possible to a point where I could imbibe calories safely (without vomiting, that is). I descended the northern tip of the ridge at quite a sharp angle, using my ice axe with every step. I made it down towards the trees just in the nick of time as the snow started to soften (12,500 ft?) and just before my glucose levels bottomed out completely. I had cried like a baby from frostbite, my sugar was low enough that my movements were slow and I was weak, but I had managed to maintain my hold on my axe and sink it in deep, I had held my pack and myself up, and I had made it down. I lay there briefly in the snow and brightening sunshine, relieved to be safe at last (relatively so, that was), eating small bites of licorice and fruit chews.

I might not have felt so relieved if I were to realize that my poles would fail me while post-holing through the miserable treacherous down-sloping slog that lay ahead of me, but none of us really ever want to know what lies ahead anyway. I did make it back to my truck without a broken leg. It was the worst 14er attempt I had ever made. I vowed for at least a few days that I would sell my ice-axe and crampons and never attempt a winter or spring hike again.... But that was a few days ago and already, well, you guessed it, I'm thinking of getting a little "workout" on my favorite route up Long's asap. Hope no one is scared off from hiking with me - I'm usually a little more intelligent that this.
Cheers,
Mountain Woman (Elle)



Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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Comments or Questions
Mountain Woman
User
none
5/24/2010 4:26am
The ”moral” of this trip report is - don‘t hike when the avy risk is high even if your desparate.


Mountain Woman
User
none
5/25/2010 4:03pm
utepasspro:

Glad the report was useful to you. I usually don‘t write a trip report.


BergenFrau
User
Looking for climbing buddy ever?
5/25/2010 6:32pm
I just moved to Denver, I am looking for other hiking buddies and it would be especially nice to go with another girl. I had actually been toying with the idea of trying to snow shoe up La Plata (because the road is paved basically all the way to the trail head) but I think I may wait a bit, are you planning any other near term trips?


Mountain Woman
User
climbing buddy
5/25/2010 6:47pm
see p.m. Love the guys I hike with, but it would be great to hike with someone of my same sex for once.


haybo01
User
Glad You Made it back safely!
5/28/2010 5:38pm
Elle - thanks for posting this. I just started doing spring climbs last year and it really helps to see trip reports like this so I can think through what can go wrong and how will I be prepared. Take care - have a safe climbing year! Bob


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