Blanca Basin

[dubsho3000]

I have a dream of skiing off of Blanca into Blanca Basin, and then climbing back out, either to Blanca or better yet Little Bear so I could ski the Hourglass. Blanca seems like it would go in a good snow year, but I'm wondering:

1) anyone have a trip report on a ski descent like this?
2) anyone have any good snowy pics of Little Bear from Blanca?

I'm fairly confident that the upper Blanca Basin is on public land, but if anyone has any solid info on the boundaries I'd be interested in that as well.

Thanks, Matt

[Scott P]

I'm fairly confident that the upper Blanca Basin is on public land, but if anyone has any solid info on the boundaries I'd be interested in that as well.

Here is the boundary. Sorry that it's just a phone screenshot.

Green in National Forest and white is private.

20210214_102407.jpg (177.82 KiB) Viewed 2304 times

[prairiechicken]

I'm fairly confident that the upper Blanca Basin is on public land, but if anyone has any solid info on the boundaries I'd be interested in that as well.

Here is the boundary. Sorry that it's just a phone screenshot.

Green in National Forest and white is private.

20210214_102407.jpg

I'm pretty sure that's inaccurate; caltopo's public lands layer is imperfect. This map https://blm-egis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/w ... 20eddd7550, as well as several others indicate that the federal lands end at the Costilla county boundary, and the basin is entirely private.

[dwoodward13]

What does this mean for Lindsey? I remember descending an alternate from Huerfano and catching flak for being in the Ute area

Lindsey's land owners have granted use to summit from the standard trail(s). I saw somewhere that basically above treeline they don't care what you do, but that only way to access the above treeline portion is thru the standard route.

[dubsho3000]

Thanks for the land issue info. I may have to track down the land owners down there if this dream gets off the ground.

Curious about my two questions though. Any TRs or photos of LB from Blanca in snowy conditions? The pics of LB I've seen look less than promising.

[cottonmountaineering]

you can look at trip reports from little bear to see the lines on blanca,
https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=17802
https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=16970

it looks like it would go in a big snow year, however its probably quite difficult, maybe d15? 45-55 degrees

[justiner]

Curious about my two questions though. Any TRs or photos of LB from Blanca in snowy conditions? The pics of LB I've seen look less than promising.

Those squiggly topo lines look preeeeeetty smooshed together. I'd brings some ice tools, a light rack, a rope and a partner to gain the southwest ridge.

[cottonmountaineering]

Curious about my two questions though. Any TRs or photos of LB from Blanca in snowy conditions? The pics of LB I've seen look less than promising.

Those squiggly topo lines look preeeeeetty smooshed together. I'd brings some ice tools, a light rack, a rope and a partner to gain the southwest ridge.

yeah i dont think there's any good way to climb LB from blanca basin

[CaptainSuburbia]

LB from Blanca January 14th, 2021

20210214_122528.jpg (286.72 KiB) Viewed 2158 times

[CaptainSuburbia]

February 17th, 2019

20210214_123211.jpg (228.87 KiB) Viewed 2145 times

[CaptainSuburbia]

Curious about my two questions though. Any TRs or photos of LB from Blanca in snowy conditions? The pics of LB I've seen look less than promising.

Those squiggly topo lines look preeeeeetty smooshed together. I'd brings some ice tools, a light rack, a rope and a partner to gain the southwest ridge.

The SE ridge to SLB doesn't look too crazy

20201012_192800.jpg (276.65 KiB) Viewed 2121 times

[painless4u2]

yeah i dont think there's any good way to climb LB from blanca basin

Oh, there is, but it requires trespassing on private property. Please respect property boundaries and get permission to access, if possible. (Highly unlikely in this case)
Steve Bremner and his wolfdog Sam climbed LB via Blanca Basin: http://mtnclmbr.cloud.prohosting.com/index.html Click "Little Bear" for his trip report.