Robin was in town for the last week to collaborate with his former advisor here at LANL. We agreed that we would climb something during his visit, so this past Saturday we went to Colorado and climbed La Plata Peak. This was my 21st Colorado 14er, and the second highest point I've ever climbed to (below Mt. Elbert, the highest point in Colorado). La Plata is the fifth-highest peak in Colorado.

click this image for the gallery

The weather was ok in the early morning but we got a late start (7:30) and managed to find ourselves completely socked in with clouds at the summit. No view whatsoever until after we had left the summit and the cloud ceiling started rising. I had trouble sleeping the night before and didn't feel good for the entire climb, but some food and advil cleared that problem right up.

For the first time in recorded history, Robin and I passed through Alamosa at dinnertime and didn't eat at True Grits Steak House because I was in a hurry to get home (Nina had arrived at the end of her cross-country exodus while we were driving home).