Peak Condition Update | La Plata Peak

Peak:	La Plata Peak
Route:	Northwest Ridge
Range:	Sawatch
Posted By:	delsnow
Date of Info:	5/13/2015
Date Posted:	5/14/2015

Details
After a round of spring snow and with a week free of obligations, I decided to meet my old CMC-Steamboat compadre Liam to attempt a snowboard descent of La Plata peak in the northern Sawatch range. We arrived at the La Plata Peak TH the night before and awoke at 4 am to start the day. After coffee, breafkast (which consisted of a bacon-guac burger from the night before for me), and gearing up, we left the TH at 5 hiking on dirt. We encountered frozen snow intermittently and soon we were following a skin/snowshoe track South and East into La Plata Gulch. The trail took us up into the creekbed, where we continued skinning through the forest. We wanted to attain the NW ridge of La Plata, and decided to ascend the ridge to our left (East). The W-facing slope had intermittent snow cover and we were forced to boot up to the top of the ridge. On the ridge we continued, bootpacking through a steep scree field until we arrived on a bench at treeline. We decided to venture into La Plata Basin (the N-face descends into the basin and the W-face descends in to the gulch) to see if we could gatch glimpse of the face. It was around 7 am at this point and clouds clung to the face around 13,000ft. The west side of Ellingwood ridge looked incredible, but I doubt that it typically looks this good. The consistent upslope storms this spring have left the Sawatch looking filled in well. We booted up an E-facing chute on a supportable, kickable crust and continued along the top of the ridge. We continued along the ridge, passed the point where the summer trail reaches the saddle on the NW ridge, and continued higher. After meeting the first patch of rocks, Liam decided to bootpack while I followed a skin track weaving through the rocks. The skinning was at first difficult but became easier higher up as the snow cover increased. Around 13,600 feet, Liam and I stopped, heavy clouds completing blocking the face, and our route up. We decided to wait and see if an opening in the clouds arrived. After ten to fifteen minutes, the mountains surrounding us began to appear and we scrambled towards the summit. On our way up the clouds once again reclaimed the peak but we continued on hoping for another break in the clouds. We arrived at the summit around 1030-11, a 5-6 hour ascent. The clouds opened up with views of the Sawatch tempting me into other basins. This was my first time in this area and I wonder if the snow cover is typically this good as I saw enticing, huge lines in every direction. We hurried to do our transition and ensure some sort of visibility for our run. We spotted a chute, which ended up not being the one we were shooting for, that looked to descend the entirety of the face at 20-50 feet wide. I descended first, making a slope cut across the couloir. We know that the warm temperatures, spring snowpack, and new snow would most likely result in a soft slab avalanche, if anything. This would release at our feet and if we were careful, this problem could be managed. My slope cut released nothing, and showed mixed bag conditions, a firm base with edge-able cream cheese on top. Liam descended next after I was in my safe spot. He released a small sluff and continued onwards. La Plata's North Face is a beautiful thing, especially for skiers and snowboarders. Couloirs litter the face, with couloirs residing within larger couloirs. The face has a true big mountain feel with exciting route-finding and aesthetic views with gigantic rock buttresses. The descent went well with good, soft but variable snow with most of it residing within the cream cheese realm. After making gigantic turns down the apron, I stopped atop what seemed to be a rather insignificant roller lower down on the apron to take a picture of the face. I turned downhill toward what appeared to be a mellow slope reconnecting with the basin at large. With the lower visibility, I was not able to differentiate between the snow at my feet and the snow 20 feet below me. It was not until too late that I realized what had happened, and I was 20 feet in the air. I landed in a heap, but bounced up immediately. After throwing a bit of a tantrum, and making sure I wasn't hurt, I gathered my things for the rest of the descent. I have had similar things happen to me before, where I was trying to take speed in an outrun and flew off of a windlip. What I've learned from these experiences is that the day is not over once the face has been descended. The mountains demand your respect until the moment your back inside your car. The rest of the descent would drive this point home. Once in the flats, we switched into split skis and began descending and traversing, North and West, back into La Plata Gulch. Up high the snow held our weight, but soon we encountered trap door conditions. If you've ever had the pleasure of watching a snowboarder attempting to split ski downhill, then you can imagine how I looked trying to ski collapsing snow. We cursed, and you would have laughed as we slogged downwards towards the valley. Upon reaching the valley floor, I exclaimed something about how La Plata could throw anything at us and we could overcome it. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut. After pulling skis off, and booting down the dirt to the flat valley below, it was apparent that we still had a few miles West to travel to reach the bridge across Lake Creek. We opted for the direct route North, across the river and back to the road where we would walk to the last few miles on pavement. After deciding this, we came across a willow bog. After a good bout of willow thrashing, we arrived at the river. Channels one and two were easy crossing, especially in my snowboard boots, and the third would be the swiftest and most challenging. We made the crossing, and soon the road. We arrived back at the cars around 230, a 9.5 hr day. It was an incredible day, frustrating at times, but very rewarding for my first winter (Snow?) ascent and descent of a 14er. https://vimeo.com/127856441

Details

After a round of spring snow and with a week free of obligations, I decided to meet my old CMC-Steamboat compadre Liam to attempt a snowboard descent of La Plata peak in the northern Sawatch range. We arrived at the La Plata Peak TH the night before and awoke at 4 am to start the day. After coffee, breafkast (which consisted of a bacon-guac burger from the night before for me), and gearing up, we left the TH at 5 hiking on dirt. We encountered frozen snow intermittently and soon we were following a skin/snowshoe track South and East into La Plata Gulch.

The trail took us up into the creekbed, where we continued skinning through the forest. We wanted to attain the NW ridge of La Plata, and decided to ascend the ridge to our left (East). The W-facing slope had intermittent snow cover and we were forced to boot up to the top of the ridge. On the ridge we continued, bootpacking through a steep scree field until we arrived on a bench at treeline.

We decided to venture into La Plata Basin (the N-face descends into the basin and the W-face descends in to the gulch) to see if we could gatch glimpse of the face. It was around 7 am at this point and clouds clung to the face around 13,000ft. The west side of Ellingwood ridge looked incredible, but I doubt that it typically looks this good. The consistent upslope storms this spring have left the Sawatch looking filled in well. We booted up an E-facing chute on a supportable, kickable crust and continued along the top of the ridge.

We continued along the ridge, passed the point where the summer trail reaches the saddle on the NW ridge, and continued higher. After meeting the first patch of rocks, Liam decided to bootpack while I followed a skin track weaving through the rocks. The skinning was at first difficult but became easier higher up as the snow cover increased. Around 13,600 feet, Liam and I stopped, heavy clouds completing blocking the face, and our route up. We decided to wait and see if an opening in the clouds arrived.

After ten to fifteen minutes, the mountains surrounding us began to appear and we scrambled towards the summit. On our way up the clouds once again reclaimed the peak but we continued on hoping for another break in the clouds. We arrived at the summit around 1030-11, a 5-6 hour ascent. The clouds opened up with views of the Sawatch tempting me into other basins. This was my first time in this area and I wonder if the snow cover is typically this good as I saw enticing, huge lines in every direction.

We hurried to do our transition and ensure some sort of visibility for our run. We spotted a chute, which ended up not being the one we were shooting for, that looked to descend the entirety of the face at 20-50 feet wide. I descended first, making a slope cut across the couloir. We know that the warm temperatures, spring snowpack, and new snow would most likely result in a soft slab avalanche, if anything. This would release at our feet and if we were careful, this problem could be managed. My slope cut released nothing, and showed mixed bag conditions, a firm base with edge-able cream cheese on top. Liam descended next after I was in my safe spot. He released a small sluff and continued onwards.

La Plata's North Face is a beautiful thing, especially for skiers and snowboarders. Couloirs litter the face, with couloirs residing within larger couloirs. The face has a true big mountain feel with exciting route-finding and aesthetic views with gigantic rock buttresses. The descent went well with good, soft but variable snow with most of it residing within the cream cheese realm.

After making gigantic turns down the apron, I stopped atop what seemed to be a rather insignificant roller lower down on the apron to take a picture of the face. I turned downhill toward what appeared to be a mellow slope reconnecting with the basin at large. With the lower visibility, I was not able to differentiate between the snow at my feet and the snow 20 feet below me. It was not until too late that I realized what had happened, and I was 20 feet in the air. I landed in a heap, but bounced up immediately. After throwing a bit of a tantrum, and making sure I wasn't hurt, I gathered my things for the rest of the descent. I have had similar things happen to me before, where I was trying to take speed in an outrun and flew off of a windlip. What I've learned from these experiences is that the day is not over once the face has been descended. The mountains demand your respect until the moment your back inside your car. The rest of the descent would drive this point home.

Once in the flats, we switched into split skis and began descending and traversing, North and West, back into La Plata Gulch. Up high the snow held our weight, but soon we encountered trap door conditions. If you've ever had the pleasure of watching a snowboarder attempting to split ski downhill, then you can imagine how I looked trying to ski collapsing snow. We cursed, and you would have laughed as we slogged downwards towards the valley. Upon reaching the valley floor, I exclaimed something about how La Plata could throw anything at us and we could overcome it. I need to learn to keep my mouth shut.

After pulling skis off, and booting down the dirt to the flat valley below, it was apparent that we still had a few miles West to travel to reach the bridge across Lake Creek. We opted for the direct route North, across the river and back to the road where we would walk to the last few miles on pavement. After deciding this, we came across a willow bog. After a good bout of willow thrashing, we arrived at the river. Channels one and two were easy crossing, especially in my snowboard boots, and the third would be the swiftest and most challenging. We made the crossing, and soon the road. We arrived back at the cars around 230, a 9.5 hr day. It was an incredible day, frustrating at times, but very rewarding for my first winter (Snow?) ascent and descent of a 14er.

https://vimeo.com/127856441

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