14ers.com • Trip Report - La Plata- NW Ridge.

Peak:	La Plata Peak - 14,336 feet
Post Date:	05/14/2012
Date Climbed:	05/11/2012
Posted By:	HighCountry_Tiger

La Plata- NW Ridge.
When I got off work Friday morning I knew I would be racing against the weather but figured if I did get caught in the weather it would be mostly snow. Left the TH at about 7 a and hoped to summit no later than 12p, which was when I expected the weather to start coming in. There was very little snow on the trail below the treeline, just a few spots where it was packed down. There was a good amount of packed snow as I headed out of the gulch and up the gully. I couldn't see the switchbacks and it was easier to just go straight up. A look towards the NW, I could see a storm moving in but it seemed to be stalled out for a while and thought I could still summit in time. it wouldn't take too much time for that to change. Started my traverse to the next set of switchbacks. A little bit more snow before the final climb to saddle. I ended up loosing the trail so it was another straight climb to the ridge. By the time I got to the saddle the storm had picked up some speed and had started closing in fast. I couldn't hear any thunder and the storm seemed to be all snow. I love all the neon lichen. I think I was off course getting around the buttress and ended up scrambling back to the ridge. I made it back up to the ridge and this is were things got interesting. The storm had caught up to me and it was sleet/hail/snow, still no thunder so I didn't feel like I would be taking too much of a risk by continuing to the summit. This all changed when the storm finally hit the mountain. The storm was pretty strong and it was dumping snow up there so I took out my phone to film some of it. At this point I began to hear a strange buzzing in my headphones...... I thought I imagined this until I watched the recording of it. Then I thought there was a bug or something in my hair because it felt like my hair was moving around. It all finally clicked when I realized my hair was standing on end and the noise in my headphones was due to the electricity in the air. I was in a big electrically charged storm, not good. I didn't have to think twice, I grabbed all my gear and hauled but down. There isn't much to watch, but if you listen to the beginning you can hear the electricity in the air screwing with my phone. The I get the hell out of there. The storm cleared for a moment and I really contemplated going back, but I knew it was supposed to storm all day and thought it was best to just try again another day. Not long after, the summit was in a storm again and it started to thunder and lightning. All in all, I think I probably shouldn't have tried to hike knowing the weather would be bad but I guess you live you learn. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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Comments or Questions (6)

Rcizzle	I experienced the same thing 2012-05-14 11:13:40 I did Columbia that day and oddly I heard that same weird electrical sound later in the day. I couldn't figure out what the heck that was. It sure was nice early morning, but it blew up around 10.
kushrocks	Good Call 2012-05-17 10:45:13 Good call on heading down mountain. Nice to see people making smart decision makes the good info you gave even more valuable.
coloradokevin	Storms 2012-05-18 03:53:54 When things start buzzing it sure gets scary fast! I've had a few close calls with lightning, and you definitely did the right thing by getting out of there. It's always better to be at the trailhead wishing you were on the mountain, instead of being on the mountain and wishing you were at the trailhead!
HighCountry_Tiger	@coloradokevin 2012-05-18 12:26:29 I like that saying ”It's always better to be at the trailhead wishing you were on the mountain, instead of being on the mountain and wishing you were at the trailhead!”
HighCountry_Tiger	@coloradokevin 2012-05-18 12:28:02 I like that saying ”It's always better to be at the trailhead wishing you were on the mountain, instead of being on the mountain and wishing you were at the trailhead!”
Tango2Hotel	Snow ? 2012-05-18 12:48:14 did you use crampons or do any postholing? Nice trip report!

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