Trip Report: Livin’ La Plata Loca

With my undergrad degree finished and behind me, you might think I’d be done with making poor personal health decisions. Yet, somehow, on the evening of the 20th, I found myself meeting up with Skyler and his friend David in Denver. We were gearing up to do a sunrise summit of La Plata Peak. That meant making the sleepless drive through the mountains past Leadville, followed by equally sleepless climbing until the sun came up.

We hit the Northwest Ridge trail at 1:15am, under a moon still full enough to provide ample lighting. The few clouds above stuck to the horizon. The trail, besides a few muddy patches, was clear and easily discernible below treeline. The first creek crossing was sketchy, as the water was flowing high, and the logs making up the bridge were slick. We stopped frequently in the meadows to turn off our lights and admire the view. Moonlight on creek-water is a special kind of stress relief. Above the trees, a few snowfields remained. The largest was at roughly 12,300′, just before the ascent to the Northwest Ridge itself. There was another just above the buttress on the ridge. Portions of the trail were covered. There were also several social trails in the talus, though the main route is the clearest way forward. When in doubt, go the way that seems to have the most switchbacks.

During the final half-mile of the hike, the trail disappeared under the rocks. However, the summit was obvious by then, so it was easy to carry on. We reached the top just as the sky began to brighten, at around 5:15am. After 4,500′ of gain and four miles plus change, we had the summit all to ourselves.

When we stopped climbing up, the cold set in. Upon finding a reasonable vantage, we ducked behind a pile of rocks to keep out of the cutting winds. We donned what layers we had while waiting for the sun to crest the horizon. Below us, the western side of the Ellingwood Ridge route looked to be clear.

As we watched sunlight overcome shadow, it dawned on us that we were going to have to get moving again if we wanted to warm up. The hike downwards lent a new perspective. Marmots were beginning to pop their heads out of their burrows and whistle in the morning air. Wildflowers painted the landscape a full pallet of hues. Due to a lack of stopping mechanism (i.e. an ice ax) we avoided sliding down the snowfield on the ridge above the buttress, as it sloped over towards a cliff. However, we were able to glissade down the lower snowfield with ease.

Other people didn’t start showing up on the trail until we reached treeline. Even then, the crowd was sparse. Thank goodness for weekday hiking. We moved quickly, pausing only once or twice for water. Skyler snapped pictures frequently, but still managed to keep up with us.

Upon returning to the trailhead around 8:00am, we piled into Skyler’s car a made a caffeine-fueled jaunt to a National Forest parking area on the far side of Leadville. A nap there energized us enough to make it to Idaho Springs in time for lunch, and we were back in Denver an hour after that. I by no means recommend driving on that level of sleep deprivation. For those looking to do a sunrise hike like we did, it’s better to camp for the night. You’ll be much happier for it.

And with that, I’ll conclude this entry for the Overcast Adventurers. Greatness is out there friends. Go forth and seize it!

~Ty and Sky

(Pictures courtesy of Skyler Stanley, words courtesy of Tyler Brant)