pictures: upper-Erik Kling riding the North Face of La Plata Peak. lower-the North Face of la Plata Peak as seen from the summit of Mt. Elbert. both pictures courtesy of Erik Kling.
photo-Zach Taylor skinning towards La Plata peak from the southside above Winfield. Photo by Ben Koelker, 2009.
The earliest recorded descent of La Plata peak was in June of 1997 by Mark Rikkers, Andrew Worm, and Barrows Worm via the north face. This is a possible first descent but Barrows Worm believes there may have been others before him.
other known snowboard descents:
6/6/2000-Jarrett Luttrell descends the north face. Check out his trip report at
6/10/2007-Erik Kling and Tom Courtright descend the north face.
photo- A look at the north face of La Plata peak. photo by Zach Taylor, 2011.
photo- Zach Taylor (left) and Joel Paula (right) on the summit of La Plata. photo by Zach Taylor, 2011
photo- Zach Taylor riding the north face of La Plata. photo by Joel Paula, 2011.
photo- Zach Taylor touring back out from under the north face of La Plata. photo by Joel Paula, 2011.
photo- Zach Taylor hiking out from La Plata Gulch after climbing and riding the north face of La Plata. photo by Joel Paula, 2011.
La Plata Peak is the fifth highest peak in Colorado. It sits a few miles south of Mt. Elbert. While this peak has a reputation for being an easy hike, it also has a very impressive, steep, north face. This face is where most of the snowboard/skiing descents occur. It is a steep face broken by cliffbands, Several couloirs are formed on this face and there are multiple ways down. It is recommended that you climb this face before snowboarding/sking it because there are many lines that cliff out.
