La Plata Peak via Ellingwood Ridge in San Isabel National Forest, CO

Hike La Plata Peak via Ellingwood Ridge San Isabel National Forest, CO

Class 4 9.9 miles 5600 gain 8-11 hrs Loop Jul 22, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude
Directions
Route Map
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Okay, let’s have real talk. If there is any rain in the forecast, do. not. do. this. scramble. Or any other high peak, really. Though, if it’s a sunny day, this route is a super sustained ridgeline scramble with lots of opportunity to route-find and explore the many spires and nooks of Ellingwood Ridge. Fun to the max.

Starting from the regular La Plata Peak Trailhead, walk along a forest road until a billboard marks the start of the trail. Follow the official trail for a while until you see a social trail branch off to the east, shortly after a log-bridge over a stream. This social trail gets progressively more difficult to follow, but as long as you can get on top of a narrow forested ridge between two creeks, you’ll be fine. There is an easy to follow trail here. Eventually, an absurdly large talus field greets you. Find any number of reasonable gullies that leave talus and become scree as you slowly gain a ton of elevation and end up on Ellingwood Ridge. I can’t really describe the route, but the closer to the ridge crest you are, the harder it is. We pretty much stayed there the whole time, doing a couple of easy Class 5 moves, but mostly Class 4 and tons of Class 3. You can likely keep this route at Class 3+ the whole way if you are good at route-finding.

About a thousand feet from the summit, big clumps of hail started smacking us in the face. And thunder. Damnit. We decided bailing was a good idea, but the ridgeline was a terrible place to be if there was lightning, and the summit was even worse. So, we attempted to bail off the side of the ridge to the east, where massive loose boulders constantly fell out of place and almost smushed my foot countless times. Don’t end up in this situation. If the weather looks bad, turn around well before you’re deep into the ridge. Anyway, the sun came out and we decided to go for the La Plata Peak summit. We made it, as did another couple who waited out the storm, but who came from the standard trail. On the way down, it started hailing again and I noticed my hair was sticking up, as was the woman’s we had recruited from the summit. We ran. That was terrifying.

The trail down is really gorgeous, with lots of wide views of the surrounding peaks and a steep trail next to a creek through the forest.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Ellingwood Ridge
13206 ft
274 rise
2
La Plata Peak-East Peak
14160 ft
40 rise
3
La Plata Peak
14336 ft
1816 rise

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Starting from the trailhead, looking toward Ellingwood Ridge (left) and La Plata Peak (right).
Starting from the trailhead, looking toward Ellingwood Ridge (left) and La Plata Peak (right).
Crossing a bridge over an interesting water-sculpted slot in the creek.
Crossing a bridge over an interesting water-sculpted slot in the creek.
A log-bridge shortly before turning off the official trail and heading toward Ellingwood Ridge.
A log-bridge shortly before turning off the official trail and heading toward Ellingwood Ridge.
Social trail on the way to Ellingwood Ridge.
Social trail on the way to Ellingwood Ridge.
The social trail can become a bit hard to follow.
The social trail can become a bit hard to follow.
Ellingwood Ridge ahead, but first some steep uphill on a narrow ridge between two creeks.
Ellingwood Ridge ahead, but first some steep uphill on a narrow ridge between two creeks.
Looking back from on the narrow ridge between the two creeks.
Looking back from on the narrow ridge between the two creeks.
Approaching the boulder field at the base of Ellingwood Ridge.
Approaching the boulder field at the base of Ellingwood Ridge.
Ellingwood Ridge up there.
Ellingwood Ridge up there.
Class 2+ scramble up to Ellingwood Ridge.
Class 2+ scramble up to Ellingwood Ridge.
Image 10 from gallery
Image 11 from gallery
Ellingwood Ridge start! La Plata Peak on the right.
Ellingwood Ridge start! La Plata Peak on the right.
Looking back along Ellingwood Ridge.
Looking back along Ellingwood Ridge.
Image 14 from gallery
A few Class 4 down/up climbs.
A few Class 4 down/up climbs.
Image 16 from gallery
Looking back toward the first section of Ellingwood Ridge.
Looking back toward the first section of Ellingwood Ridge.
So much more of Ellingwood Ridge to go.
So much more of Ellingwood Ridge to go.
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Image 21 from gallery
La Plata Peak still a way to go.
La Plata Peak still a way to go.
Lots of fun moves along Ellingwood Ridge
Lots of fun moves along Ellingwood Ridge
Yoshi in the center - lots of Class 3 and 4 stuff like this the whole way.
Yoshi in the center - lots of Class 3 and 4 stuff like this the whole way.
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Image 26 from gallery
A short narrow ridgeline scramble.
A short narrow ridgeline scramble.
A cairn, finally. Maybe we stayed too high on the ridge and therefore missed any cairns on the left.
A cairn, finally. Maybe we stayed too high on the ridge and therefore missed any cairns on the left.
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La Plata Peak ahead. Staying on top of this ridge keeps the route at Class 4. You can go to the notch on the left to keep it easier.
La Plata Peak ahead. Staying on top of this ridge keeps the route at Class 4. You can go to the notch on the left to keep it easier.
Looking back toward Ellingwood Ridge, staying on top of the ridgeline with a Class 4 move.
Looking back toward Ellingwood Ridge, staying on top of the ridgeline with a Class 4 move.
Image 32 from gallery
Class 2 scramble to get just below the false summit of La Plata.
Class 2 scramble to get just below the false summit of La Plata.
Looking back along Ellingwood Ridge.
Looking back along Ellingwood Ridge.
Image 35 from gallery
Just before the false summit of La Plata, there's this lovely obstacle. It's Class 5 if you go straight up (we were tempted before seeing the easier option), Class 3 to the left (next photo).
Just before the false summit of La Plata, there's this lovely obstacle. It's Class 5 if you go straight up (we were tempted before seeing the easier option), Class 3 to the left (next photo).
Class 3 along the edge.
Class 3 along the edge.
La Plata Peak ahead, seen from the false summit.
La Plata Peak ahead, seen from the false summit.
Looking south toward the traverse from the false La Plata summit to the true La Plata summit.
Looking south toward the traverse from the false La Plata summit to the true La Plata summit.
La Plata Peak ahead!
La Plata Peak ahead!
Close-up of Ellingwood Ridge from La Plata's summit.
Close-up of Ellingwood Ridge from La Plata's summit.
View toward the traverse from the false summit.
View toward the traverse from the false summit.
La Plata summit looking toward the standard route.
La Plata summit looking toward the standard route.
Heading down the standard route.
Heading down the standard route.
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Image 46 from gallery
Yoshi taking in the long and strenuous Ellingwood Ridge.
Yoshi taking in the long and strenuous Ellingwood Ridge.
Looking back up toward La Plata.
Looking back up toward La Plata.
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Image 65 from gallery
Image 66 from gallery

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