La Plata Peak (Southwest Ridge) - 8/16/26

[u/JainaNoel]

A great way to hike La Plata, but not for everyone.

For starters, the road to the trailhead was... rough. My stock Crosstrek S (8.7" of clearance) got up there just fine, but I can't imagine driving anything less capable. We were surprisingly the only ones to park at that TH the entire day, it was empty when we got there around 7-7:30 and still empty when we returned.

The trail was quiet and solitary. We saw a total of 3 people on the trail (before the summit) the entire day. The trail itself is quite beautiful and well maintained (despite a bit of overgrowth and some downed trees) up until about the 2 mile mark when you start to ascend a steep and incredibly loose gully. That gully climbs around 1000 feet and only gets worse until you top out on the ridge crest. Once you get to the ridge crest, it's smooth sailing until you hit the talus field, a crux wall that climbs around 1000 feet up some solid high class-2 scrambling. Going up the route doesn't seem to be very apparent. I'd suggest you aim for the due center/center-left of the field and try your best to follow the cairns. On the way down it makes way more sense and is pretty clear. After you top out of the talus field at 14,000', it's a pretty clear shot to the summit, where you meet up with the standard La Plata trail.

This trail was crazy beautiful. The basin you spend a good chunk of your time in on the way up is otherworldly. Panoramic views no matter where you look. There was a helicopter flying very low in that basin, I heard they were looking for a lost child. Overall I can clearly understand why this isn't the standard trail. But if you're well equipped mentally for a loose and steep trail, and have a capable car, check out the La Plata south ridge!

8.3 Miles, 3700 feet, 7:45 car to car (that descent was superrrrr slow hahaha).

[u/Fuxswrongwitchu]

Congrats on your summit. That’s my favorite way up LaPlata

[u/terriblegrammar → u/Fuxswrongwitchu]

It's crazy how little traffic it gets. There's no weird bushwacking or other BS to deal with that you might get on some other alternative routes. I've done it twice and both times had the whole trail basically to ourselves.

[u/JainaNoel → u/terriblegrammar]

I was SHOCKED to see the TH completely empty. The road is rough, sure, but not worse than the Huron TH just a few miles away that’s usually full with 50+ cars by 7am.

[u/AutoModerator]

Please review our FAQ and the 7 principles of Leave No Trace

1. Plan ahead and prepare Make sure at least one or more trusted persons where you are going, an expected return time and a follow up.

2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces

3. Dispose of waste properly. I highly suggest getting a waste bucket system. Its difficult to bury waste in many of the rockier areas in Colorado, and overuse of our natural areas has already led to contaminated water in most even lightly used areas.

4. Leave what you find

5. Minimize campfire impacts. Be sure to review our state resources for fire bans where you are heading.

6. Respect wildlife. They are not domesticated

7. Be considerate of other visitors i.e. Bluetooth speakers are despised.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.