Little Bear Peak

Overview Photos Routes Map Trip Reports FAQ

Little Bear Peak is one of the most difficult, dangerous, and mentally demanding 14ers in Colorado. Located in the rugged Sierra Blanca massif of the southern Sangre de Cristo Range, this peak is notorious for its loose rock, extreme exposure, and objective hazards. The standard West Face route is defined by the infamous "Hourglass" couloir, a steep, narrow Class 4 choke point of polished rock. The Hourglass is a notorious bowling alley for rockfall, where any dislodged stone quickly channels down into climbing parties below, making a helmet mandatory and large weekend crowds a serious safety hazard. For more-advanced climbers, Little Bear serves as the starting point for the legendary Little Bear-Blanca Traverse, a highly exposed, mile-long Class 4 knife-edge ridge that links to nearby Blanca Peak.

Elevation 14,041' (LiDAR)

Prev Elevation 14,037'

CO 14er Rank 44 of 53

Range Sangre de Cristo

Forest Rio Grande

Lat / Lon 37.56672, -105.49724

Counties Alamosa, Costilla

Towns Fort Garland, Blanca, Alamosa

Planning Weather
Conditions (8/1/2026)
Cell Reception

More Member Ascents (4,290)
GPX Library (34)
Climb Times

Other 14ers in Group

Blanca Peak Peak

Ellingwood Point

Photos

360° Summit Pano

Member Contributed Photos

Peak 62 Wildflowers, plants, trees 1 Wildlife in Colorado 3

Climbing Routes

		Lake Como Approach Difficulty: Class 1 Total Elevation Gain: 3,900' Round-trip Distance: 11 mi	Exposure: Low Rockfall Potential: Low Route-Finding: Low Commitment: Low
		Blanca Peak - Northwest Ridge Standard Route Difficulty: Difficult Class 2 Total Elevation Gain: 6,500' Round-trip Distance: 17 mi	Exposure: Considerable Rockfall Potential: Considerable Route-Finding: Moderate Commitment: Considerable
		Ellingwood Point - South Face Standard Route Difficulty: Difficult Class 2 Total Elevation Gain: 6,200' Round-trip Distance: 17 mi	Exposure: Considerable Rockfall Potential: Considerable Route-Finding: Considerable Commitment: Considerable
		Little Bear Peak - West Ridge and Hourglass Standard Route Difficulty: Class 4 Total Elevation Gain: 6,200' Round-trip Distance: 14 mi	Exposure: High Rockfall Potential: High Route-Finding: High Commitment: High
		Combo: Blanca and Ellingwood Difficulty: Class 3 Total Elevation Gain: 6,800' Round-trip Distance: 18 mi	Exposure: Considerable Rockfall Potential: Considerable Route-Finding: Considerable Commitment: Considerable
		Combo: Little Bear + Blanca Traverse Difficulty: Class 5 Total Elevation Gain: 8,000' Round-trip Distance: 17 mi	Exposure: Extreme Rockfall Potential: Considerable Route-Finding: High Commitment: Extreme
		Ellingwood Point - Southwest Ridge Difficulty: Class 3 Total Elevation Gain: 2,200' Round-trip Distance: 15 mi	Exposure: High Rockfall Potential: High Route-Finding: Considerable Commitment: Considerable
		Ellingwood Point - North Ridge via South Zapata Creek Difficulty: Easy Class 3 Total Elevation Gain: 5,200' Round-trip Distance: 12.5 mi	Exposure: Considerable Rockfall Potential: High Route-Finding: High Commitment: High
		Little Bear Peak - West Ridge Indirect Difficulty: Class 4 Total Elevation Gain: 6,200' Round-trip Distance: 14 mi	Exposure: Extreme Rockfall Potential: Considerable Route-Finding: High Commitment: High

Map

Trip Reports

8 Recent Reports	Peaks	Climbed	Added
The Bear By: the_hare Peak(s): Little Bear Peak Added: 7/6/2026	Little Bear Peak	3/19/2026	7/6/2026	14	23
SOLO Day Hiking the Winter 14ers By: illusion7il Peak(s): Mt. Eolus, North Eolus, Sunlight Peak, Windom Peak, Capitol Peak, Pyramid Peak, Snowmass Mountain, Maroon Peak, North Maroon Peak, Mt. Wilson, El Diente Peak, Wilson Peak, Mt. of the Holy Cross, Little Bear Peak, Longs Peak Added: 4/26/2026	Mt. Eolus North Eolus Sunlight Peak Windom Peak Capitol Peak Pyramid Peak Snowmass Mountain Maroon Peak North Maroon Peak Mt. Wilson El Diente Peak Wilson Peak Mt. of the Holy Cross Little Bear Peak Longs Peak	12/22/2025	4/26/2026	31
Quest to 100 / Part 4: Late Summer Deception and I Cannot Read Metric / #53 to #69 By: notidealbutfine Peak(s): Grizzly Peak, Mt. Hope, Uncompahgre Peak, Wetterhorn Peak, Cronin Peak, "Phoenix Peak", Redcloud Peak, Handies Peak, Little Bear Peak, Mt. Lindsey, Mt. Oklahoma, Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point, Sunshine Peak, Unnamed 13838 Added: 12/15/2025	Grizzly Peak Mt. Hope Uncompahgre Peak Wetterhorn Peak Cronin Peak "Phoenix Peak" Redcloud Peak Handies Peak Little Bear Peak Mt. Lindsey Mt. Oklahoma Blanca Peak Ellingwood Point Sunshine Peak Unnamed 13838	8/31/2025	12/15/2025	5	14
LB Gully Free WR Full Span By: daway8 Peak(s): Little Bear Peak Added: 11/21/2025	Little Bear Peak	11/15/2025	11/21/2025	28	15
6 Peaks in 7 Days By: texaseagle16 Peak(s): Mt. Lindsey, Blanca Peak, Ellingwood Point, Little Bear Peak, Mt. Massive, Mt. of the Holy Cross Added: 8/15/2025	Mt. Lindsey Blanca Peak Ellingwood Point Little Bear Peak Mt. Massive Mt. of the Holy Cross	8/4/2025	8/15/2025	5	50
WRI - Commentary from the peanut gallery By: two lunches Peak(s): Little Bear Peak Added: 8/11/2025	Little Bear Peak	8/9/2025	8/11/2025	15	6
Little Bear WRI By: dgriff Peak(s): Little Bear Peak Added: 8/8/2025	Little Bear Peak	8/2/2025	8/8/2025	7	4
West Ridge Indirect - Refined By: daway8 Peak(s): Little Bear Peak Added: 7/30/2025	Little Bear Peak	7/26/2025	7/30/2025	48	50

View All 275 Trip Reports

Frequently Asked Questions about Little Bear Peak

Do I need climbing skills to summit Little Bear Peak?

YES. While the standard West Ridge Hourglass and the West Ridge "Indirect" routes are rated as Class 4 and don't require a rope or harnesses for experienced mountaineers, they require high-level scrambling skills. You must be completely comfortable with near-vertical rock climbing on exposed terrain, precise foot placement, and utilizing your hands to pull your body weight up steep granite. It is an intense mountaineering objective that should never be attempted by hikers without Class 3 and Class 4 experience.

What makes Little Bear Peak one of the most dangerous 14ers in Colorado?

If you take the standard route, the primary hazard is The Hourglass, a steep, narrow upper couloir that can funnel rockfall dislodged by climbers above. However, the peak's danger is not limited to this single chute; the standard route demands high-exposure Class 4 climbing where a slip could be your last. While alternative paths like the West Ridge Indirect or the Southwest Ridge avoid the direct bottleneck of The Hourglass, they still cross highly unstable terrain, require complex route-finding, and feature extreme exposure that keeps Little Bear among the state's deadliest peaks. There are no easy routes on Little Bear Peak.

Can I easily traverse from Little Bear Peak over to Blanca Peak?

Absolutely not. The Little Bear-Blanca Traverse is widely considered the most difficult, terrifying, and dangerous of the four great 14er ridge traverses in Colorado. It is a highly sustained, mile-long knife-edge ridge of continuous Class 4 scrambling with massive, vertical drops of up to 1,500 feet on both sides. The rock can be loose and fractured, meaning a single handhold failure or dizzy spell can result in a fatal fall. It should only be attempted by mountaineers with excellent route-finding skills, solid nerves, and experience on exposed terrain.

What safety gear is mandatory for climbing Little Bear Peak?

A high-quality climbing helmet is mandatory on the upper terrain, including the lower gully if you approach from Lake Como. Because rockfall is a constant, unpredictable hazard generated by both human climbers, animals, and just normal rock movement, a helmet can literally save your life. Additionally, ice axe and crampons are required if you climb Little Bear in the snowy months, or late spring when the upper mountains still holds snow.

Additional Little Bear Peak History

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Geology 2

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