LB - can't decide between WRI or hourglass route

[Watlas]

Yep, this is going to be a zombie-horse issue for a long while most likely...

.As far as exposure comfort, I've climbed cap, Wilson-El diente, pyramid with no issues at all and thought they were way overblown. The only time I have been really scared was the Sunlight summit block, which I still did (very briefly)

Curious that Sunlight bothered you but the others you list were considered by you to be "way overblown. Ignoring Sunlight for the moment, I'd say based on your reaction to the others that you mention you'll be totally fine on WRI.

But to hear that Sunlight bothered you but those others didn't, that leaves me unsure of how to predict your reaction...

However, if you go up to the crux on WRI and nope out, it's pretty easy to abort pre-crux and you're crazy close to the start of the Hourglass with just a little backtracking, so just give yourself an extra half hour or so and you can pick the one you please.

TY for this take, seems a good way to approach it.

I guess Sunlight to me just felt much more exposed, with less to hang on to? It's like a pinnacle on a slab, rather than say the knife edge on cap, where there's lots to grab, or class 4 wall sections on things like Pyramid / Lindsey, where I feel protected by having the wall to grab and lean on.

Sunlight involved jumping across smooth spires where it was all up to my feet and not tripping - and I'm kind of topheavy and tall.

[skyrme17]

Doing the Hourglass as a snow climb seems the only fun and practical way to do Little Bear.

If you don't know how to use an ice axe, learn.

Considering the Hourglass is South facing, are there months of the year when the Hourglass has good snow for ascent, but Lake Como road doesn't require snowshoes?

[Scott P]

Doing the Hourglass as a snow climb seems the only fun and practical way to do Little Bear.

If you don't know how to use an ice axe, learn.

Considering the Hourglass is South facing, are there months of the year when the Hourglass has good snow for ascent, but Lake Como road doesn't require snowshoes?

Years vary but May seems to offer the best chance:

https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/peakstat ... parm=10044

[daway8]

I guess Sunlight to me just felt much more exposed, with less to hang on to? It's like a pinnacle on a slab, rather than say the knife edge on cap, where there's lots to grab, or class 4 wall sections on things like Pyramid / Lindsey, where I feel protected by having the wall to grab and lean on.

Sunlight involved jumping across smooth spires where it was all up to my feet and not tripping - and I'm kind of topheavy and tall.

Ok, that makes sense. If the concern is having things to grab vs being on an exposed slab, that, together with how you found Cap to be a non-issue means I doubt you'll have any real problem with WRI.

Best of luck whatever route you choose and let me know how it goes!

[Watlas]

I guess Sunlight to me just felt much more exposed, with less to hang on to? It's like a pinnacle on a slab, rather than say the knife edge on cap, where there's lots to grab, or class 4 wall sections on things like Pyramid / Lindsey, where I feel protected by having the wall to grab and lean on.

Sunlight involved jumping across smooth spires where it was all up to my feet and not tripping - and I'm kind of topheavy and tall.

Ok, that makes sense. If the concern is having things to grab vs being on an exposed slab, that, together with how you found Cap to be a non-issue means I doubt you'll have any real problem with WRI.

Best of luck whatever route you choose and let me know how it goes!

Thank you for chiming in!

[Wentzl]

I have done all these routes.

West Ridge Direct is my favorite, with the SW Ridge a close second. Only reason not to use SW ridge is the scrubby route finding at the beginning

I have not yet done the Entire West Ridge.

https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=23350

Will be my next.

You don't say if you will finish as you start or hike the LB/Blanca traverse. Not sure how that would change my response, but 5 of the 6 times on Little Bear, I finished on Blanca. You should too!

[seannunn]

If you dealt with the knife edge OK, IMO the crux on WRI won't bother you much more than that, going up. Going down, you might want to have a partner go down first and coach you as to exactly where your feet are going to go.
I did this and the downclimb didn't bother me THAT much. I am assuming you are over 5' tall BTW. It would be tougher for a very short person, but I think somewhere you said you are fairly tall. I am also assuming you have reasonable upper body strength.

To me the biggest issue is that the exposure on WRI was a MANAGEABLE risk, while rockfall in the hourglass is not fully manageable. I would always prefer to put my life in my own hands versus the hands of someone above me, be they a person or a mountain goat.

Sean Nunn
Peculiar, MO

[Watlas]

I have done all these routes.

West Ridge Direct is my favorite, with the SW Ridge a close second. Only reason not to use SW ridge is the scrubby route finding at the beginning

I have not yet done the Entire West Ridge.

https://www.14ers.com/php14ers/triprepo ... trip=23350

Will be my next.

You don't say if you will finish as you start or hike the LB/Blanca traverse. Not sure how that would change my response, but 5 of the 6 times on Little Bear, I finished on Blanca. You should too!

I've watched several videos of the LB/Blanca traverse. Each one of them felt like a pretty strong 'nope' from me.

Does SW ridge avoid Lake Como Rd?

[justiner]

For the SW Ridge, I really enjoyed starting at the Lake Como road, and backpacking in the evening before. There's a nice camp spot near the last 4WD track above the Tobin Creek (but close enough to grab water there and suss the descent to it in beforehand). Then in the morning, you can start early from there for the rest of the route, descend, then trudge back to the parking lot.

Or there's a small parking lot right at the USFS border that's not too far away from Tobin Creek, if you wanna do it in a day.

[notidealbutfine]

WRI, or better yet, West Ridge DIRECT!

Exposure is in your head. Rockfall literally hits your head and you can die. The choice is obvious imo.

Even better, just do the LBB Traverse afterwards then you don't have to descend either of those routes!

[DrSmotPoker]

Responding to Watlas above, I've done all 4 great traverses, every 14er, plenty of class 5 scrambling in the flatties....NOTHING is as scary as the sunlight summit block. Scrambling>>>Jumping.