La Plata Mountains are located just northwest of the town of Durango, Colorado, in the southwest corner of the greater San Juan Mountains. I guess it shows how vast the San Juans are that it's taken me 16 years to finally go visit La Platas! I've spied their rugged ridges off in the distance many times from the Weminuche Wilderness or the western San Juans, but for some reason I just never got around to driving down there. This week we finally made it happen, with one night camping in the truck and one night in the tent out in the backcountry. I must say the beauty of this range exceeded my expectations and I'm surprised it took me so long to come see!
Light in La Platas
July 2022 | La Plata Mountains, Colorado
Hesperus Mountain (13232 ft / 4033 m) reflects in a small pond at sunset - July. Hesperus's striking crimson and white stripes show the red shales and sandstones formed as marine deposits during the Permian period around 250 million years ago.
Hesperus Mountain, or "Dibé Nitsaa", is the northern mountain of the four sacred peaks of the Navajo, which mark the traditional boundaries of Dinétah, the Navajo homeland.
Dawn light illuminates Lavender Peak (13220 ft / 4029 m), with Mount Moss to its left and Hesperus Mountain to its right, as seen from the summit of Centennial Peak.
The sun sets behind Sharkstooth Peak - July.
Sunrise light on the high peaks of La Plata Mountains near Durango. In July this lovely basin is full of waterfalls, wildflowers, and elk.
Morning sunlight shines through pine trees and yellow flowers behind a lone columbine wildflower.
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