Rotator Placeholder Image
 
  • Mt. Bierstadt Group Summit - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest before the summit push on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Broken Ankle + 6 Miles = Tired
  • The classic San Juan approach - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Overlooking Noname Basin from Twin Thumbs Pass - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Upper Noname Basin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing Noname Cabin - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Twin Thumbs Twins - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Nearing the summit of Pt. 13,736 - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Blustery day on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Morning snow at 15k, Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada
  • Artesonraju from the summit of Nevado Pisco - Cordillera Blanca, Peru
  • February crowds on Gray's Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • Kicking steps on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Final traverse to the summit of Wheeler Mountain - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • The long walk to Pachanta - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner31
    Afternoon at 17k on Cerro Ramada - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner22
    The final ridge on Iowa Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Summer summit on Longs Peak - Front Range, Colorado
  • A rest day at the Pachanta Hot Springs - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Mind over matter on Mt. Parnassas - Front Range, Colorado
  • Rest stop on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner30
    Post nap surprise on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Summit on Cerro Lliani - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner23
    Ridge walking on Grizzly Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Enroute the summit via the West Ridge on Pacific Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Mule train bound for Chilca - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Taking in the view from Fletcher Peak - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • Hiking on Silverheels - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Traversing! Gladstone Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • banner24
    The best of times at Willow Lake - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
  • banner29
    High Altitude Cerebral Edema? - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Bound for Chilca - Vilcanota Range, Peru
  • Going alpine light, Holy Cross Ridge - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Cumbre! Campa I - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • Roadside lunch with the best of company - Cordillera Vilcanota, Peru
  • banner25
    Long ridge walk to the summit of California Peak - Sangre de Christo Range, Colorado
  • banner28
    Crossing el Rio Colorado . . . in the afternoon - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner37
    Dealing with Fall snows high on Casco Peak - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • Moonrise over Mercedario - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • Still climbing at 20,900 on Cerro Ramada - Cordiller Ramada, Argentina
  • Talus on Halo Ridge, Mt. of the Holy Cross - Sawatch Range, Colorado
  • banner26
    Deteriorating conditions on Mt. Arkansas - Ten Mile Range, Colorado
  • banner27
    After the climb - Cordillera Ramada, Argentina
  • banner38
    Taking in the view from the summit of Crystal Peak - Tenmile Range, Colorado
  • Topping out on Mt. Arkansas' North Couloir - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Glissade on Mt. Arkansas - Mosquito Range, Colorado
  • Hard snow morning on Teakettle Mountain - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Spring snow announces the start of the climb on Dallas Peak - San Juan Range, Colorado
  • Crossing the Eolus Catwalk - San Juan Range, Colorado

LaPlata Peak

September 14, 1999 - Northwest Ridge

 

September 14, 1999 - Attempt

Trent and I took a shot at LaPlata in mid September; you know that month when the weather is just great all the time?  Right.  We overnighted at the head end of the Clear Creek Reservoir and parked at the trailhead on the road to Independence Pass.  The route from there goes up the dirt road for just a bit before cutting through the fence and along an obvious path to cross the creek, flowing through a deep crevice.  We headed on up the gulch, below the large avalanche track and took the switchbacks to the saddle at the base of the Northwest Ridge.

We had a few sprinkles on the way up the wooden steps (climb LaPlata and you’ll see this well done stretch of erosion control) and just a bit later passed a group of local kids coming back from the saddle, a weather turn around they said.  I figured we might be going up against a touch of rain and fog but once at the saddle, we were looking at snow and a good bit of wind.  Trent in the meantime was hurting from a blister and mentioned, after about 15 minutes of crappy weather, that his boots were giving him a fit.  We stopped and he shed one boot to look and the decision was made, we were down bound.  Oh, sure a bit of tough it out discussion on his part but why bother when the peak will be there later and the boots are really cutting.  Smiles of resignation all around and we headed for the car.  Of course, the weather at the car was sunny, but as I said, LaPlata was not going anywhere.

November 14, 1999 (Summit)

For any readers who climbed in 1999, this was that wonderful, warm November when there was still no snow on the 14’ers.  I wanted to score LaPlata before the close of the season and given that I had just been laid off, a mid week climb was more than appropriate.  I camped, parked, and made it to the saddle just as before but this time under a clear sky.  The climb up the Northwest Ridge then became an interminable slog, just an off day I am afraid.  Nevertheless, I kept up the pace, albeit slow, and made it to the top of LaPlata via that ridge that just does not want to stop or even give you a real sense of where the end is before you get to about 14k.  I was solo on the summit and after the usual snack, headed on down to the car and back toward home.