About a month into my summer of 2021 road trip, I had made my way into Colorado. After weeks of somewhat shorter and easier hikes, I felt prepared and ready to begin tackling the major objectives of my summer: 14ers, the highest categorization of mountains in the lower 48. First on my list was La Plata Peak, the 5th highest mountain in the Rockies!
While the hike up to the summit of La Plata is a day hike, this trail and all other major summit hikes in the Rockies should not be taken lightly. Prospective summiters need to be physically fit enough to hike for up to 8 hours or more, climbing 1000’s of feet on often rough and rocky trails.
In addition to the physical challenge, dangerous storms and weather are a near daily occurrence, so you need to be smart about reading the conditions of the mountains. Big mountains are a rewarding thing to climb, but there is some inherent danger, be smart!
Miles/Elevation:
9.6 miles
4,370 feet vertical gain
About the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness:
The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness is a wilderness area in Colorado split between San Isabel and Gunnison National Forests. At 168,000 acres, Collegiate Peaks has tons of trails, and lots of places to find solitude among the mountains!
Named for the set of peaks named after renowned universities (Harvard, Columbia, Oxford, etc), Collegiate Peaks is the home of many of the highest peaks in the lower 48, and Rocky Mountains, including 8 14ers and numerous 13,000 foot peaks.
A wilderness area, Collegiate Peaks does not allow any form of motorized transport, and usage is highly regulated and restricted. You will find no roads in the area’s 168,000 acres, and anything with wheels is banned in the wilderness area. No cars, no bikes, no ATVs. Wilderness areas can be found in the mountains across the United States, but the density of massive peaks here is unmatched!
About 14ers:
A 14er is a slang term used by hikers and mountaineers in the United States when referring to mountains over 14,000 feet in height. These 14,000 foot peaks are the highest category of mountain in the lower 48, as there are no 15,000+ foot peaks in the lower 48 states.
There are a total of 66 14ers in the lower 48 states, with the vast majority of them being found in Colorado. Colorado has 53 14ers, California has 12, and Washington has 1. It speaks to the loftiness of these peaks that famous mountain states like Utah, Wyoming, and Montana are all devoid of 14ers, despite all having massive chains of mountains running through them.
While Colorado has by far the most 14ers of any lower 48 state, the highest peak in the lower 48 is actually Mt Whitney, located in Southern California. As you can probably guess, the rest of the top 10 is dominated by Colorado summits, but another noteworthy peak outside of Colorado is Mt Rainier, the massive snow capped volcano outside Seattle!
Getting To The Trailhead:
The trailhead for La Plata Peak is the La Plata Gulch Trailhead. This trailhead is a gravel parking lot along the side of highway 82, a paved state highway.
The closest town to the west is Aspen. From Aspen, take highway 82 over Independence Pass for 29 miles. The drive is about an hour due to the narrow winding roads. If coming from Aspen, be sure that Independence Pass is open, as it does close during winter!
From Leadville and Buena Vista, take highway 24 to the intersection with highway 82. From the intersection, it is about 15 miles to the trailhead.
From Denver, you’ll probably take I-70 west to highway 91 at Copper Mountain. Take 91 south to Leadville, and then get onto highway 24. Take highway 24 south to highway 82, and then continue to the trailhead!
The La Plata Peak Trail:
Through The Trees:
At the parking lot along highway 82, you may be tempted to try and drive further along a gravel road into the trees. While you will be hiking along this road for a bit, there is nowhere legal to park, so leave the car at the parking lot.
The gravel road immediately crosses a bridge over the North Fork of Lake Creek, and then very quickly you will turn left onto a single track trail into the woods.
This trail is actually flat for close to a mile! You’ll cross over another creek or two, but don’t expect to see much. The forest is pretty thick, and if you’re doing this hike right, it’ll probably be pitch black outside!
After just under a mile of mostly flat hiking, turn right at an intersection and begin climbing. This first climb lasts about a mile in which you will gain almost 1,000 vertical feet. It’s pretty steep, but hey, it’s a 14er!
The trail here through the trees is pretty well constructed, though that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Considering it was dark and I was tired, I don’t remember every detail about the trail here, but I do remember the stairs. Long sets of wooden stairs dug into the hillsides. Brutal. I suppose the stairs are better than a loose dirt slope, but man those stairs were tough!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Around mile 2 of the trail, you’ll crest the climb and emerge into a partially wooded valley nestled between massive peaks and ridgelines! Around this time, the sun was rising and was illuminating some of the far peaks in bright sunshine! Sure would have felt nice in the cold and dark valley though.
Once you’ve made it to the valley, the trail flattens again for around half a mile. You’ll still be in the trees here, but just up the sides of the valley you can see the treeline. Enjoy the forest while it lasts, because as soon as you begin climbing again, the trees will be gone!
Above Treeline:
After about half a mile of nice flat walking through the valley, you’ll resume climbing in earnest. The trail leaves the valley floor, and right as it does that you’ll see where you’re going: a series of super tight switchbacks going straight up the valley wall!
Head into the switchbacks and enjoy! They are very steep, but to be fair they have to be to make it out of this valley! Over the course of the switchbacks, you’ll gain about 400 vertical feet!
You’ll find bears in the Rockies so always be bear safe!
Once out of the switchbacks, the trail mellows a bit as you begin crossing across the hillside rather than going straight up it. You’ll still be climbing (get used to it, you will be until the summit), but the trail is pretty manageable for a while!
Once above the switchbacks, your next goal is the base of the ridge that will take you to the summit. On the trail, you can pretty clearly see this ahead of you on the left. That point is still about another 1,000 vertical feet of climbing in front of you that needs to be done in less than a mile, so it’s an exaggeration to say that this part of the trail is easy!
Continue hiking along a clearly defined single track trail towards the ridge, taking it at your own pace. I found this part of the hike pretty tough for whatever reason, even more so than the scramble up the summit ridge. It was cold, windy, and still dark. I was approaching 13,000 feet. For whatever reason, it was a slog for me! However, I eventually made the ridge, and then sat down for a snack, and surveyed the final section of the route!
The Summit Ridge:
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
The ridge on La Plata that you’ll be ascending is primarily a class 2 scramble all the way up, though there are some sections of rough trail. Don’t count on being able to follow the trail all the way up though. I got turned around a bit trying to find a trail to follow, just head up the ridgeline, and you really don’t need a trail.
The rock on La Plata isn’t the best, but it’s not too terrible either. Most of the scrambling is on small boulders, big enough to stand on, but small enough that you aren’t climbing up and over them. The rocks do have a tendency to shift as you put your weight on them, so be careful with each step, and test your foot placement before you fully commit.
You’ll be climbing on this ridge for quite awhile, from about 12,700 feet to around 14,200. The scrambling is slow going, but it’s not overly difficult. Just take your time.
The final push to the summit takes you over a bit of a false summit at the top of the ridge. Here, you’ll realize you actually have to take a 90 degree left turn to get to the official summit. The last little push after the turn has maybe 100 feet of climbing, but at over 14,000 feet, every step can feel like a struggle!
Once you make the summit, catch your breath and take in the views! This is one of my favorite parts of Colorado, and there are massive mountains literally every direction you look! Mt Elbert, the highest peak in the Rockies, is just to the north. Looking south, you have views into the Collegiate Peaks and the numerous 14ers there. And, to both the east and west, there are chains of more massive peaks!
The weather at the summit was absolutely beautiful. The skies were perfectly clear without a cloud in sight, and the air was clear and smoke free. It was pretty cold though, and the wind was blowing!
Traditionally, I’ve always had peanut butter sandwiches at summits, but this year I went away from that. I was finding that a full sandwich wasn’t really sitting well at elevation in the midst of a tough hike, so I switched to multiple small snacks. Smoked sausages, trail mix, and oreos were an awesome summit meal!
Descending:
Whenever you’re ready, start heading back down the way you came. The scramble down the ridgeline is definitely the toughest part of the descent, but again, just take it at your own pace and you’ll get down just fine.
After the scramble, the descent is pretty straightforward. The trails for the most part are pretty nice, though in spots they can be rocky; I may have rolled and sprained an ankle on the descent at some point.
One thing I think is worth pointing out is the importance of getting an early start. On 14ers, the biggest danger isn’t falling off the side of the mountain, it’s bad weather. Colorado gets daily storms for most of the summer, and if you’re on exposed rock at 14,000 feet, even a light rain will make things super dangerous. Add in lighting, freezing temperatures, and slick rock and you can be in real trouble.
When I was on the summit, the weather was basically perfect, not a cloud in the sky. By the time I was finishing, there was a bit of light rain. The final mile of my hike I did in intermittent rain. Get out early so that you’re below treeline by noon, earlier if you can. That usually means you have to start before sunrise, but it’s worth it to be safe!
By the time I got back to the trailhead, I was feeling pretty worked. I hadn’t done anything at this altitude, and the steep incline and scrambling had definitely worn me out! My ankle, which also hadn’t fully healed from a week or so prior, was also super sore, but all in all, La Plata was a pretty awesome mountain!
Topdown Lifestyle Rating: 9/10
All 14ers hikes in Colorado give you awesome views and the opportunity to summit a major peak, and this hike is no different. The views as soon as you break treeline are phenomenal, and La Plata is one of the highest peaks in the Rockies. In addition to the great views, La Plata finishes with a long but not terrible scramble up it’s summit ridge.
While this is an excellent hike, I can’t quite give this trail a 10/10 because it doesn’t really separate itself from any of the other 14ers, and while it’s great, I don’t think it’s special. Put another way, I still think about Half Dome and the Highline Trail regularly years after doing them. I already don’t feel that way about La Plata.
Like all 14ers, this is a really good hike, but it’s not an all time classic, and it doesn’t really stand above any of the other 14ers you’ll find in Colorado.
Pros:
- Great views
- Major Rocky Mountain peak
- Easily accessible on paved roads
Cons:
- Trail gets rough at times
- Long scramble to the summit
- Super steep (kind of a given to be fair)
Alternative Hikes:
Huron Peak via North Huron Trail
When To Climb La Plata Peak:
Most Colorado 14ers can be climbed year round if you are able to deal with winter conditions and the challenges that come with them. However, if you want to avoid snowy and icy conditions, you will have to wait for the mountains to melt out, and since you’ll be climbing above 14,000 feet, that can take awhile.
Most years, most 14ers should be accessible on summer routes and have summer conditions by early July. Dry years may see the mountains snow free sometime in June, and exceptionally snowy years can leave lingering snow well into July and August. You will need to carefully research conditions on the mountain before you start your hike yourself.
All of that being said, peak climbing season is generally July and August. Conditions can be good in September as well, but cold weather and early snow may throw a wrench into your plans. All that being said, I would recommend late July and August for a 14er summit!
Links For Further Reading:
La Plata Peak North Trail Summer Route
La Plata Peak : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost
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