#laplatapeak

I was supposed to have a meeting at 8am today, but at around 10pm last night the meeting was cancelled, so I got out my spreadsheet, checked weather, and thought La Plata Peak would be a good idea for a 14er tomorrow.  

I got up at 2am to head for the trailhead.  Rebecca was in the shower (she takes 2am showers because she has an off schedule), so I was able to say goodbye to her before I left.  We only seem to catch each other coming and going these days…

The drive there was uneventful, except for 3 cars all hauling boats on HWY 24.  It looked like they were travelling together.  It was 3am and I couldn’t pass them because they were driving too close together and they were all doing 40 in a 60.  When I was finally able to pass them because they veered right they chose that time to turn left, and I had to honk really loud and probably looked like a jerk, but come on guys!!!  We were the only ones on the road!  Pull over and let the only other car on the entire highway at 3am pass so she can go the speed limit!

The trailhead parking lot was super easy to find.  It was well marked and several other cars were already there.  I forgot my high beams were on and probably made a few car campers upset as they were getting ready to hike.  Sorry!  I turned them off as soon as I realized the problem.  

It was almost 5am and I’d gotten there half an hour earlier than I’d expected.  Very cool!  So I got out my stuff, folded my map and directions and put them in my pocket, and headed out on the trail.  My directions said to walk down the dirt road, cross a bridge, and the trail would be ¼ of a mile down on the left.  It was really dark as I was hiking.  I had my headlamp on and swayed it from side to side, looking for the trailhead.  

I passed a couple hiking towards me.  I figured they’d been out for a moonlight hike to the peak and were on their way back down.  I apologized for shining my flashlight in their eyes (I’d thought they were animals at first) and I kept hiking.  And hiking, and hiking.  I’d gone much farther than the ¼ mile, so I got out my directions. Nope, I was on the right path.  I just had to keep going and look for that bridge and then the trailhead would be ¼ of a mile on the left.  I was following the river however, and I figured this was La Plata Peak ahead of me?

  So I kept on hiking for about 2 miles and eventually got to thinking how there was virtually no elevation gain on this hike so far, and it was supposed to have 4500 feet in elevation gain in 4.75 miles.  If I’d already been 2 miles without much elevation gain this didn’t make sense. All I was passing were car campers, and I kept thinking I should have been allowed to drive on this road to the trailhead.  That thought made me turn back.

About 1.5 miles on the way back I ran in to a guy who was hiking towards me.  I asked him where he was headed, and he was going the same place I was.  He didn’t have a map (what is it about hikers not carrying maps???)  but his directions were the same as mine.  We talked a bit and he decided I was probably right and walked the last half mile back with me.  It was a bit awkward to hike and talk with someone you didn’t know, but we made it work.  And yes, I’d missed the trailhead.  It was hidden behind some trees, but very visible to me now in the light of day. In the dark there’s no way I’d have seen it.  I did remember seeing the ReMax sign though, probably because it glowed in my flashlight. It caught my attention and probably diverted my attention from the trailhead.  Oh well.  I looked at my watch.  I’d lost an hour and 15 minutes of time and gained 4 miles on this trip.  Drat!

In any event, I said a quick goodbye to my current hiking partner (I now had 4 miles and over an hour of hiking to make up for) and was on my way.  He thanked me, but I never saw him again on the way up or the way down. I’m pretty sure he got lost by accidentally taking another trail.  

At this point I was only about 50% sure I was on the right trail.  You see, I’d found a trailhead, but it didn’t indicate what trail it was for. All the sign said was pick up after yourself, put fires completely out, etc. So I could have been on just about any trail.  And my directions didn’t match up.  Several small details were wrong (I was supposed to hike 100 yards before seeing a turnoff I saw in 10 feet, and it took much longer than anticipated to find the gulch), but I kept hiking anyway because several details were right (crossing the bridge, then the makeshift log bridge, then following the gorge).  

I’m stubborn this way and it’s usually one of the detriments to my hiking:  I keep thinking what I’m looking for will be right around the corner, and since I hike fast I can get far off my intended goal quickly.  Like I had this morning.  

In any event, after about 2 miles of hiking I pulled out my altimeter and verified I was indeed on the correct path.  I hadn’t done this before because I didn’t want to admit the directions could have been wrong.  In my mind I’d already done 6 miles and if I was wrong at this point I’d just see where the trail went and try again another day.  

But I was right. Woohoo!  So I kept on hiking.  

I was absolutely positive I was on the right trail when I hit these switchbacks (the picture is from the way back down).  As far as I’m concerned, “switchback” is a 4 letter word.  They’re dreadful and go on forever without much elevation gain. These switchbacks lasted well over a mile and seemed to go straight up the gully, turning every 20 feet or so. My calves were screaming when I finally reached the ridge.  On a positive note I saw several chipmunks and pikas.  

Oh, and most of the trail was in the shade, which was great because it would have been miserable to hike in the heat  of the sun!

I kept looking back to see if my lost hiking buddy had caught up, but never saw him.  At this point I figured he’d taken the wrong trail (there were several trail junctions, but my directions said to always veer right. I’m not sure he had that information).

At the top of the switchbacks I reached a ridge and could see the summit (covered in a low lying cloud).

I was now on the ridge, and it was now I started passing other hikers.  I passed two ladies in their 20s hiking in shorts (and freezing!) and the couple I’d passed earlier this morning headed towards me on the trail. We chatted for a bit (she worked last summer in Salida as a trail guide, but this was his first 14er) and I took a picture with La Plata Peak in the background.  They offered to take it for me, but I’m getting pretty good at this automatic portrait thing (I think?).

From the ridge it’s a 1.25 mile hike to the summit, much of which isn’t marked by a trail, but that’s something I’ve gotten used to.  I’m pretty good now at just pointing towards my goal and hiking to meet it, even though large rocks and scree.

I didn’t see anyone else on the trail until I reached the summit, which is a complete win as far as I’m concerned!  For a Friday this peak was deserted! 

There was one guy there that looked to be about my age.  We had a great chat about 14ers (he’s from Denver) and summits that require weekends.  He said his friend has made the same mistake I’d made (missing the trailhead) so he was able to avoid it because he knew what to look for.  While we were chatting an older man summited as well from a different route.  He asked to borrow my sunscreen (absolutely!) and I was offered whatever was in flask of the guy I was talking to.  I told him he carried it up so it was all his, let them know I had a drink waiting for back at the trailhead in my truck, and was off down the mountain.  

I made it about ¼ of a mile before I realized the guy I’d been talking to was behind me heading down as well.  He stayed about 20 yards behind me the entire way down, which was awkward.  Not in a creepy way (we’d gotten along well) but in a “I have to pee and I can’t because he’s too close” kind of way.  I’m sure the ladies can appreciate this.  5 hours above treeline is a lot when you need coffee to get you going in the morning and you bring water to drink on the hike…

I’d rather he just hiked WITH me and we talked than he kept his distance.  We were about 20 feet apart by the end of the hike, and I’m not sure if that was intentional or not?  I hike really fast and don’t take breaks, so he had to book it to keep up with me.  Either way we didn’t talk again, even though we were parked close to each other at the trailhead parking lot.  

I took a few pictures of the correct bridge (there were several, but this one was kind of cool).

Oh, and as I reached the trailhead there was a girl there walking back towards the trailhead.  I told her “If you’re looking for La Plata, this is it, even though it doesn’t look like it is.”  She was very appreciative.  It seems she’d hiked 6 or 7 miles further than I had in the wrong direction and had just made it back.  She indicated she’d try the peak tomorrow and we both agreed they need better signage/directions.  

Total (correct) hiking time was 6:15am-11:30am, so just over 5 hours for a 9.5 mile, 4500’ elevation hike (or just over 6 hours for a 13.5 mile hike if you take into account my going the wrong way)

Here's the view from the summit: