Little Bear Peak Trip Report 07/26/2011

Peak(s):	Little Bear Peak - 14,041 feet
Date Posted:	07/26/2011
Modified:	07/28/2011
Date Climbed:	07/25/2011
Author:	centrifuge

Respect for The Bear
Little Bear has been a bit of a struggle for me to get done, but with only 2 ranked 14ers left, it was time to make this happen. I have tried every way I could to avoid the standard route on the mountain. Stories of its loose, steep slopes in the Hourglass, and far too many losses of climbers old and young, experienced and inexperienced alike have sat firmly in my mind as the years have gone by and the inevitability of this climb has loomed ever more presently. Last year, I went with Moonstalker to Lake Como, climbed Ellingwood and Blanca but opted not to climb Little Bear that trip. We chose not to climb it that trip for a number of reasons, so I planned out climbing it this Spring as a snow climb. With the less then ideal snow in the Sangres this year, I couldn't justify the risk of climbing it in sketchy snow, so this past May I headed up with Sunny1 and JosephG to attempt the SW Ridge. We didn't make the summit that time around, and I knew my best chance would be another shot at it from Lake Como. That catches us up to now. Jesse (JB99) and I decided to head up, with the thought that we would climb the Northwest Face, and if the Traverse was not a safe option for any reason, we would down climb the Hourglass Route. We met up, planning to drive the Xterra as high as possible on the Como Road, backpack in and get an alpine start from the Lake. I was having reservations about our plan, because while I dreaded climbing the Hourglass, I knew that if we didn't do the traverse to Blanca for any reason, down climbing it without knowing the route could be a serious problem. Neither of us had first hand knowledge of the Hourglass route, so would be doing it blind. We left Denver at 130pm, and made good time to the start of the road, but a storm was coming fast. We started the drive up the road and were 2 miles from the Highway when it started raining, hard. The remaining drive to 9900', where Jaws 0.5 is located was white knuckle on wet rocks. When we got to Jaws 0.5, I told Jesse I was done. He agreed that with the wet rocks, attempting to work our way up it would be a bad idea, so we parked there, about 3 miles from the lake. As the rain kept coming down, we discussed the fact that we really were not far from the lake, and had knocked out the worst part of the hike up the road. Would it make more sense to sleep at the Xterra, and hike up the road early in the morning with light packs, or pack in wet and have a horrible, wet nights sleep before the climb? We decided to spend the night at the car, and make a go of it from there. We talked about the traverse, and with the weather forecast it was very unlikely, so we more or less nixed that idea as well. Once the rain broke, we were able to take some photos of the area around the road including a rainbow that framed the West Ridge of Little Bear, and got to watch an amazing sunset across the San Luis Valley. The ironic thing is that once the nice people that parked next to us headed up to the lake, we only saw one other person. We probably had more solitude there, than we would have had at Lake Como! the rainbow over the West Ridge of Little Bear we were greeted by after the rain stopped Jesse chilling on the low traffic road Sunset from our parking spot Jesse and I started up the road at 4am, with the plan of getting to Lake Como as we got enough light to assess our route options. This worked out perfectly, and I have to say the hike up the road with daypacks was a whole lot easier than it was the last time I came up with gear for an overnight stay. We got to the lake, with perfectly still water. We discussed options, and given the fact we would have to descend the Hourglass regardless, it would be better to climb the route. I had printed a route description and over the years had studied it repeatedly. Little Bear from Lake Como We headed around the lake, got to the far side and started hiking towards the West Gully, when Jesse said he thought he saw a Bear running from the area of a campsite, but wasn't sure. Less then a minute later we saw a very large black bear just above us in the woods. When it saw us, it sat down, twitched it ears seemingly saying, you are annoying please go away and let me eat that persons food, then ran off. We checked the site it had been in, and no one was there, but things had been left out. We decided to warn the people not far away, and as we approached their site, a smaller bear that was in their site ran away. We woke up the occupants, knowing full well that the Bear would be back as soon as we were gone if we didn't say anything. The camp occupants were shocked and glad to have been woken up, given how interested the Bears were in campsites, including theirs. We chatted for a minute then headed up. Jesse and I had both wanted to catch a glimpse of a Bear in the wild if it was safe for a while, so we felt like the mountain gods were smiling on us as we started up the loose West Gully. Jesse starting up the loose West Gully We made good time, and were a good bit behind another group. We decided to keep our distance due to the loose rock in that gully, and hoping they would have time to get up the hourglass and the area above it by the time we would be exposed in the Hourglass gully constriction. We took our time at the top of the Gulley, and as we headed out along the West Ridge, could see climbers starting up the Hourglass. When we got to the base of the Hourglass, it didn't look so bad. The rope hung down the crux section above us, and we talked about how strange it was that on this mountain, its acceptable to leave a rope hanging, not really understanding what was to come. I planned on avoiding the use of it unless I absolutly had to, but was sure I could navigate the route without touching it once, after all this route was only class 4 and I can climb 5.10, or that's how I justified my thoughts on the subject. We couldn't see or hear climbers above us. Despite this I yelled 'Climbers below' loudly so that anyone that might be descending would know they were above climbers. Jesse and I make it quickly up the section just blow the constriction, much of the rock there was solid, but slick (a theme low in the couloir). The down sloping smooth, wet rock seemed to be a byproduct of all the water that seems to run down this section but a geologist would have to speak to that. There was a good deal of water coming down the constriction itself, where the rope ran, so we worked our way to climbers left, discovering quickly that this was just as wet, and was unpleasantly loose when it came to any good holds. me starting up the Hourglass - photo by JB99 Jesse was able to put his head down and work his way past the difficulties leading to the top of the lower half of the gully, later admitting to feeling the same emotions I experienced in that wet section. But for me, being a good deal taller, I was struggling to find the holds he had, and with how wet the down sloping holds were my nerves were going fast. I could feel my boots slip on the wet rock, and with the consequences of a fall being so high, I asked Jesse if he could work the rope over to where I was so I could use it as a back up, in case any of the holds I was using failed. He was able to get it above me, and having that gave me the confidence I needed to get past the wet rock. As I was working my way up, climbers above us let us know they would be down climbing into the gully, and were awesome when I asked them to hold on until I was a bit less exposed to rock fall. me working my wa around the solid stream of water pouring down the constriction in the Hourglass - photo by JB99 Jesse taking a break on a ledge in the Hourglass as I waited on the ledge below, waiting to start up to where he is me starting my way up from where I took the photo above - photo by JB99 me coming up the last, wet and slabby section of the crux area of the Hourglass. This was not fun. Dry and without water it w Jesse and I continued upwards, happy to be on dry rock, but continually disconcerted by the loose and exposed moves we were making, sometimes opting for short 10-15 ft class 5 pitches that were on what little solid rock was around because it felt so much safer then the class 3 and 4 loose rock. We passed the people who had parked next to us on the road, MountainMike on 14ers and Kitten on 14ers. They gave us reassurance that we were almost there, so we kept on moving, toping out before we knew it. Jesse working his way up the rock above the hourglass moving up a slightly overhanging move, doing my best to keep it class 4 - photo by JB99 almost to the summit - photo by JB99 As I climbed onto the summit, I felt like my nerves were absolutely cooked, but knew we were only half way done, and clouds were starting to build around the high peaks of the Sangres. I needed to calm my mind for a moment before heading down. I hadn't had enough of a let up after the high stress moments on the wet rock, which had kept me on edge for too long without any time to sit and really get back to center. We waited about 15 minutes before beginning to work our way down, feeling much more balanced, and with a renewed focus on finishing this climb safely. Jesse up top me on the summit Careful not to knock rocks loose as we moved downward, this direction felt much easier, as class 4 always has for me. It is much easier for me to test holds, and site good ones when going down a climb. This did not, however relieve the concern that even a single rock sent down the gulley would serve as a deadly missile headed right for Mountain Mike and Kitten. All of this focus, sent us to climbers right of the gulley, which was not a great place to be, so back up we went, finding our way over the first rock rib, and taking a short class 5 down climb into the right section of the gulley, and back to the cairned route. Jesse making a short downcljesse coming down a verticle section there wasnt a way of avoiding slight overhang no vert exagger Jesse chilling at the top of the crux section by the ropes. By the time we were ready to re-enter the gully, we were happy to see Mountain Mike and Kitten traversing the West Ridge,, they were out of harms way, and while we both saw sending any rocks down as a huge no-no, knowing we were now alone in the gulley without climbers below us was a huge relief. With all the water in the Hourglass, Jesse and I had already decided we would use the rope as a back-up down to the bottom of the constriction. The blue rope running down the center looked like it would serve that purpose well, and didn't seem damaged on the way up, so we made the descent one at a time, moving much more quickly with the rope as a back up. The ironic thing is, I always thought I wouldnt do this, that I would be able to do this without it, but there is something about wet slick rock with a bit of exposure to change a persons confidence in their abilities when balanced on the consequences of failure that are so high in a place like this. Jesse followed, also abandoning his pre-climb thoughts on using the rope that hung down the long gully. After some more difficult scrambling in an effort to avoid the wet rock to climbers left, we were out of immediate danger. Jesse hiking out along the west ridge Jesse nearing the bottom of the Gully As we hiked below the West Ridge, we could see clouds building, and kept our pace to get back to the lake as quickly as possible. When we reached the top of the West Gully, I found my poles chewed by a marmot, but didn't stop to lament the situation. About half way down the gully, thunder rolled above us, so we picked up the pace, reaching the lake in what seemed like no time. Much like the hike in, the hike out without the heavy packs was quick, letting us reach the Xterra in no time, and putting us in a position to get to the bottom of the Lake Como Road just as the storms let loose their fury. As we drove away, we looked back at the mountain through the storm, and knew that while the climb had been hard, and possibly the most objectively dangerous climb either of us had every done, she had taken care of us. This is a mountain that has a reputation for a very good reason. We both felt that we had approached her with the respect she deserved, and she treated us the best she could while we were on her rugged slopes. The things I took away from this climb are: 1. All of my trepidation about this route was well deserved. It is not a safe route, and maybe my understanding and experience with technical rock climbing, made this all the more obvious. This is a route that absolutely requires that you follow the rule of 3 points of contact, all on different surfaces diligently and beware of what is happening above and below you at all times. 2. If I ever do this route again I will bring a rope, and harness. The hourglass is tricky, and while we used the rope in the hourglass that was there as a back-up, I couldn't help but think to myself the whole time that I could in no way trust it, and neither Jesse or I ever used it as a primary, secondary, or even tertiary hold. It was wrapped around our wrists so that it would be easier to grab if, and only if a fall happened as a back-up. The justification for using it as a back-up was that if a fall happened, it would potentially be better then nothing. When wet, the crux of the hourglass is very slippery, and there is just no way to know what conditions will be when you get there. On any future ascents, I would much rather have the added weight, then have to put even a tiny amount of faith in a rope whose history I do not personally know. 3. As Jesse and I hiked down the road, the one thing we could not let go of was the fact that this mountain had served as a reminder that no matter how 'good', 'experienced', 'prepared' or what ever other adjective you want to apply a climber is, each of us is ultimately at the mercy of the mountain. For the first time in a very long time I walked away from a mountain feeling like part of my success was luck. The luck that that one of the many holds I used didnt break, that the climbers around us understood the danger of rock fall and took the necessary precautions, and that both Jesse and I were able to keep man killers from rocketing down the slope onto climbers descending below us despite the constant vigil it took and vice versa. While this is not the first time in my climbing that I have been in a place that deserved the level of care and respect for objective dangers that this one did, this climb did an excellent job of emphasizing it, and making sure that we would never forget our time there. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Respect for The Bear

Little Bear has been a bit of a struggle for me to get done, but with only 2 ranked 14ers left, it was time to make this happen. I have tried every way I could to avoid the standard route on the mountain. Stories of its loose, steep slopes in the Hourglass, and far too many losses of climbers old and young, experienced and inexperienced alike have sat firmly in my mind as the years have gone by and the inevitability of this climb has loomed ever more presently.

Last year, I went with Moonstalker to Lake Como, climbed Ellingwood and Blanca but opted not to climb Little Bear that trip. We chose not to climb it that trip for a number of reasons, so I planned out climbing it this Spring as a snow climb. With the less then ideal snow in the Sangres this year, I couldn't justify the risk of climbing it in sketchy snow, so this past May I headed up with Sunny1 and JosephG to attempt the SW Ridge. We didn't make the summit that time around, and I knew my best chance would be another shot at it from Lake Como.

That catches us up to now. Jesse (JB99) and I decided to head up, with the thought that we would climb the Northwest Face, and if the Traverse was not a safe option for any reason, we would down climb the Hourglass Route. We met up, planning to drive the Xterra as high as possible on the Como Road, backpack in and get an alpine start from the Lake. I was having reservations about our plan, because while I dreaded climbing the Hourglass, I knew that if we didn't do the traverse to Blanca for any reason, down climbing it without knowing the route could be a serious problem. Neither of us had first hand knowledge of the Hourglass route, so would be doing it blind.

We left Denver at 130pm, and made good time to the start of the road, but a storm was coming fast. We started the drive up the road and were 2 miles from the Highway when it started raining, hard. The remaining drive to 9900', where Jaws 0.5 is located was white knuckle on wet rocks. When we got to Jaws 0.5, I told Jesse I was done. He agreed that with the wet rocks, attempting to work our way up it would be a bad idea, so we parked there, about 3 miles from the lake.

As the rain kept coming down, we discussed the fact that we really were not far from the lake, and had knocked out the worst part of the hike up the road. Would it make more sense to sleep at the Xterra, and hike up the road early in the morning with light packs, or pack in wet and have a horrible, wet nights sleep before the climb? We decided to spend the night at the car, and make a go of it from there. We talked about the traverse, and with the weather forecast it was very unlikely, so we more or less nixed that idea as well.

Once the rain broke, we were able to take some photos of the area around the road including a rainbow that framed the West Ridge of Little Bear, and got to watch an amazing sunset across the San Luis Valley. The ironic thing is that once the nice people that parked next to us headed up to the lake, we only saw one other person. We probably had more solitude there, than we would have had at Lake Como!

the rainbow over the West Ridge of Little Bear we were greeted by after the rain stopped

Jesse and I started up the road at 4am, with the plan of getting to Lake Como as we got enough light to assess our route options. This worked out perfectly, and I have to say the hike up the road with daypacks was a whole lot easier than it was the last time I came up with gear for an overnight stay. We got to the lake, with perfectly still water. We discussed options, and given the fact we would have to descend the Hourglass regardless, it would be better to climb the route. I had printed a route description and over the years had studied it repeatedly.

We headed around the lake, got to the far side and started hiking towards the West Gully, when Jesse said he thought he saw a Bear running from the area of a campsite, but wasn't sure. Less then a minute later we saw a very large black bear just above us in the woods. When it saw us, it sat down, twitched it ears seemingly saying, you are annoying please go away and let me eat that persons food, then ran off. We checked the site it had been in, and no one was there, but things had been left out.

We decided to warn the people not far away, and as we approached their site, a smaller bear that was in their site ran away. We woke up the occupants, knowing full well that the Bear would be back as soon as we were gone if we didn't say anything. The camp occupants were shocked and glad to have been woken up, given how interested the Bears were in campsites, including theirs. We chatted for a minute then headed up. Jesse and I had both wanted to catch a glimpse of a Bear in the wild if it was safe for a while, so we felt like the mountain gods were smiling on us as we started up the loose West Gully.

We made good time, and were a good bit behind another group. We decided to keep our distance due to the loose rock in that gully, and hoping they would have time to get up the hourglass and the area above it by the time we would be exposed in the Hourglass gully constriction. We took our time at the top of the Gulley, and as we headed out along the West Ridge, could see climbers starting up the Hourglass.

When we got to the base of the Hourglass, it didn't look so bad. The rope hung down the crux section above us, and we talked about how strange it was that on this mountain, its acceptable to leave a rope hanging, not really understanding what was to come. I planned on avoiding the use of it unless I absolutly had to, but was sure I could navigate the route without touching it once, after all this route was only class 4 and I can climb 5.10, or that's how I justified my thoughts on the subject.

We couldn't see or hear climbers above us. Despite this I yelled 'Climbers below' loudly so that anyone that might be descending would know they were above climbers. Jesse and I make it quickly up the section just blow the constriction, much of the rock there was solid, but slick (a theme low in the couloir). The down sloping smooth, wet rock seemed to be a byproduct of all the water that seems to run down this section but a geologist would have to speak to that. There was a good deal of water coming down the constriction itself, where the rope ran, so we worked our way to climbers left, discovering quickly that this was just as wet, and was unpleasantly loose when it came to any good holds.

me starting up the Hourglass - photo by JB99

Jesse was able to put his head down and work his way past the difficulties leading to the top of the lower half of the gully, later admitting to feeling the same emotions I experienced in that wet section. But for me, being a good deal taller, I was struggling to find the holds he had, and with how wet the down sloping holds were my nerves were going fast. I could feel my boots slip on the wet rock, and with the consequences of a fall being so high, I asked Jesse if he could work the rope over to where I was so I could use it as a back up, in case any of the holds I was using failed. He was able to get it above me, and having that gave me the confidence I needed to get past the wet rock. As I was working my way up, climbers above us let us know they would be down climbing into the gully, and were awesome when I asked them to hold on until I was a bit less exposed to rock fall.

me working my wa around the solid stream of water pouring down the constriction in the Hourglass - photo by JB99

Jesse taking a break on a ledge in the Hourglass as I waited on the ledge below, waiting to start up to where he is

me starting my way up from where I took the photo above - photo by JB99

me coming up the last, wet and slabby section of the crux area of the Hourglass. This was not fun. Dry and without water it w

Jesse and I continued upwards, happy to be on dry rock, but continually disconcerted by the loose and exposed moves we were making, sometimes opting for short 10-15 ft class 5 pitches that were on what little solid rock was around because it felt so much safer then the class 3 and 4 loose rock. We passed the people who had parked next to us on the road, MountainMike on 14ers and Kitten on 14ers. They gave us reassurance that we were almost there, so we kept on moving, toping out before we knew it.

Jesse working his way up the rock above the hourglass

moving up a slightly overhanging move, doing my best to keep it class 4 - photo by JB99

As I climbed onto the summit, I felt like my nerves were absolutely cooked, but knew we were only half way done, and clouds were starting to build around the high peaks of the Sangres. I needed to calm my mind for a moment before heading down. I hadn't had enough of a let up after the high stress moments on the wet rock, which had kept me on edge for too long without any time to sit and really get back to center. We waited about 15 minutes before beginning to work our way down, feeling much more balanced, and with a renewed focus on finishing this climb safely.

Careful not to knock rocks loose as we moved downward, this direction felt much easier, as class 4 always has for me. It is much easier for me to test holds, and site good ones when going down a climb. This did not, however relieve the concern that even a single rock sent down the gulley would serve as a deadly missile headed right for Mountain Mike and Kitten. All of this focus, sent us to climbers right of the gulley, which was not a great place to be, so back up we went, finding our way over the first rock rib, and taking a short class 5 down climb into the right section of the gulley, and back to the cairned route.

Jesse making a short downcljesse coming down a verticle section there wasnt a way of avoiding slight overhang no vert exagger

Jesse chilling at the top of the crux section by the ropes.

By the time we were ready to re-enter the gully, we were happy to see Mountain Mike and Kitten traversing the West Ridge,, they were out of harms way, and while we both saw sending any rocks down as a huge no-no, knowing we were now alone in the gulley without climbers below us was a huge relief.

With all the water in the Hourglass, Jesse and I had already decided we would use the rope as a back-up down to the bottom of the constriction. The blue rope running down the center looked like it would serve that purpose well, and didn't seem damaged on the way up, so we made the descent one at a time, moving much more quickly with the rope as a back up. The ironic thing is, I always thought I wouldnt do this, that I would be able to do this without it, but there is something about wet slick rock with a bit of exposure to change a persons confidence in their abilities when balanced on the consequences of failure that are so high in a place like this. Jesse followed, also abandoning his pre-climb thoughts on using the rope that hung down the long gully. After some more difficult scrambling in an effort to avoid the wet rock to climbers left, we were out of immediate danger.

As we hiked below the West Ridge, we could see clouds building, and kept our pace to get back to the lake as quickly as possible. When we reached the top of the West Gully, I found my poles chewed by a marmot, but didn't stop to lament the situation. About half way down the gully, thunder rolled above us, so we picked up the pace, reaching the lake in what seemed like no time.

Much like the hike in, the hike out without the heavy packs was quick, letting us reach the Xterra in no time, and putting us in a position to get to the bottom of the Lake Como Road just as the storms let loose their fury. As we drove away, we looked back at the mountain through the storm, and knew that while the climb had been hard, and possibly the most objectively dangerous climb either of us had every done, she had taken care of us. This is a mountain that has a reputation for a very good reason. We both felt that we had approached her with the respect she deserved, and she treated us the best she could while we were on her rugged slopes.

The things I took away from this climb are:

1. All of my trepidation about this route was well deserved. It is not a safe route, and maybe my understanding and experience with technical rock climbing, made this all the more obvious. This is a route that absolutely requires that you follow the rule of 3 points of contact, all on different surfaces diligently and beware of what is happening above and below you at all times.

2. If I ever do this route again I will bring a rope, and harness. The hourglass is tricky, and while we used the rope in the hourglass that was there as a back-up, I couldn't help but think to myself the whole time that I could in no way trust it, and neither Jesse or I ever used it as a primary, secondary, or even tertiary hold. It was wrapped around our wrists so that it would be easier to grab if, and only if a fall happened as a back-up. The justification for using it as a back-up was that if a fall happened, it would potentially be better then nothing. When wet, the crux of the hourglass is very slippery, and there is just no way to know what conditions will be when you get there. On any future ascents, I would much rather have the added weight, then have to put even a tiny amount of faith in a rope whose history I do not personally know.

3. As Jesse and I hiked down the road, the one thing we could not let go of was the fact that this mountain had served as a reminder that no matter how 'good', 'experienced', 'prepared' or what ever other adjective you want to apply a climber is, each of us is ultimately at the mercy of the mountain. For the first time in a very long time I walked away from a mountain feeling like part of my success was luck. The luck that that one of the many holds I used didnt break, that the climbers around us understood the danger of rock fall and took the necessary precautions, and that both Jesse and I were able to keep man killers from rocketing down the slope onto climbers descending below us despite the constant vigil it took and vice versa. While this is not the first time in my climbing that I have been in a place that deserved the level of care and respect for objective dangers that this one did, this climb did an excellent job of emphasizing it, and making sure that we would never forget our time there.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

Ace	great report 7/26/2011 8:10pm I've climbed this amazing mountain twice, and have researched it for years. It is by far my favorite place in the world. These are some great pictures that really show the challenges of the hourglass and whats above it. Solid work bro!
rickinco123	Sketchy. 7/26/2011 8:13pm That is the scariest 4th class climbing I have ever seen. I think with those conditions I would want to take a shot at protecting it. You would probably ledge if you fell but it would be better than going all the way down. Probably pretty sketchy pro there as well I would guess. Nice work, earned a cold beer to finally dull those nerves.
Nelson	Congratulations! 7/26/2011 8:24pm The pictures are great and the story very well told. In all the nights I have spent up there I have never seen a bear! Now I won't sleep well. If I could get my 4 runner to 9900 feet I would definitely camp there. My high point is 8850. Nelson
wooderson	Sigh of relief... 7/26/2011 8:30pm I remember being so relieved to have this one over with. It's one of those peaks that keeps you up at night. Sounds like you had particularly sketchy conditions (not to mention menacing wildlife activity)... way to persevere! Excellent write-up, too. Should be required reading for anyone attempting this route... you really capture the difficulties (and the accompanying emotions) well.
Exiled Michigander	Awesome Report! 7/26/2011 9:10pm What a fantastic trip report! Informative, entertaining, and it even had a bear video. Glad you made it down safely from this one--sounds even scarier than my nightmares about it.
JosephG	You got it! 7/26/2011 9:14pm Nice work guys. Glad you got LB, Trevor. The HG's significantly less frustrating in dry conditions, but still requires unwavering attention. Those slabs are unpleasant when wet. Marmots ate my poles when I stashed them below the HG, too. Brand new poles, at that.
sunny1	Congrats! 7/26/2011 11:41pm ...on a successful and safe ascent and descent. Excellent TR. Strong work, Trevor. I still want to attempt the SW ridge, your experience just reconfirmed that!
Kitten	Great report!! 7/27/2011 3:19am Good job on the trip report, I enjoyed reading it! And it was very nice to meet you and Jesse! As you, we ended up using the ropes on the way down, at first we did not want to but it makes you feel so much confident that it was a big relieve. Going up is much easier.
centrifuge	thanks to everyone 7/27/2011 3:43am for all the comments! rickinco123 - honestly, once you are past the area where the rope/anchor is already set, I honestly could not see the benefit of using rope. I doubt much of the rock would provide for very secure anchors, and the time it would take setting up I think would increase exposure so much to elements and natural rock fall that it would mitigate any benefits. JoesphG - I guess I am wondering what 'dry' conditions look like. Is the couloir ever really dry? Kitten - it was nice to meet you guys too! sorry to hear about your tent! JB99 - I agree with everything you have said, including the traverse, but I'll need a season to go anywhere near it again, via any route. I do think that the fact we were around some of the most conscientious climbers anyone could have hoped for in regards to their awareness of us, and all the other climbers around them helped enormously. Had the rock been completely dry, but had climbers like were above us last year in the gully going up to the S-Ridge, it would have been way more dangerous. Thanks for going up there with me!
JB99	Nice write up... 7/27/2011 3:47am Really good trip report buddy. It was quite the day. And to think how underwhelmed we both were with the difficulty and exposure on Capitol. As for using the rope, to each their own, I know I didn't expect to use it. On the way up I didn't touch it out of principle. But I think it made the descent much safer as it sped things up quite a bit without putting much weight on it. Despite some damage to the rope the odds of falling or getting hit by rockfall were much higher than the odds that the rope(s) would snap as a result of putting some weight on them. I've pulled a car with an old climbing rope before without it breaking. I wouldn't have felt comfortable using it as a single hold, but as one of three points of contact it was at least as good as the slick and/or loose rock. At the same time I'm very sure we could both have gotten down without the use of the rope had it not been there. I'm pretty sure the conditions were relatively normal. Ideal if anything. The respect shown by all the climbers on the hill made rockfall a non-issue. The Hourglass was wet but I think that's pretty standard. At the end of the day that is just a dangerous route, far worse than anything on Pyramid, N. Maroon or Capitol in my opinion. If I ever go up LB again it will be up the Northwest Face and over to Blanca. I'd say I'll never do it again but that traverse looks too sweet.
jam6880	surprised 7/27/2011 10:39am after reading your comments i thought you would say I should have went up the NW route. Since it was raining the day before it would have made more sense to take the drier route up(Northwest face).
SpringsJeff	Great TR 7/27/2011 2:33pm What a great writeup. Fantastic photos.
greenwok	Bears at The Bear 7/27/2011 4:24pm What a fantastic report! Solid beta for anyone aiming for that this weekend. I may or may never do this one, but enjoyed hiking with you via the TR - and thrilled you made it full circle safely. Best - KG
USAKeller	Great report! 7/27/2011 8:46pm And stunning photos too Trevor! Nicely done.
Presto	Gripping ... 7/27/2011 10:22pm You did a great job conveying the sphincter-clinching feeling when that hourglass has water running down it (as it did the second time we climbed the peak). Glad you two were successful and what a gem of a video of that bear. 8) Thanks for posting. Happy trails!
Dancesatmoonrise	Nice 7/28/2011 4:15am Well done, Trevor. And closing in on the big finish! Congrats!
kullpeak	Big Day! 7/30/2011 2:15am Great trip report and lessons learned....and what a day - bears, class 5 and finally ending your quest for the Bear. This is a peak best climbed mid week when no other climbers on the trail. Congrats!
JimmyTripps	Great work 8/1/2011 6:15pm Good job on getting this peak. I am doing this climb in a couple of weeks and found your report to be very helpful. Thank you for the detailed write up
randalmartin	Well done Trevor 8/25/2011 4:05am That was a very well documented report and re-affirms my trepidation about that route in any conditions other than a snow climb.
BAMC25	Very Informative! 7/20/2012 5:25am I loved your report! Especially all of the tips you listed at the end. I do have a question though. How exactly did you secure the rope around your waste? I'm planning on doing Little Bear this weekend and I'm like you, I never want to trust the rope as a 1st 2nd or 3rd point of contact, but I do think it would be better than nothing in a ”what if” situation.
centrifuge	BAMC25 7/20/2012 5:08pm For clarification I didnt wrap it around my waist, that would have required too much. I had it wrapped on my wrist, and honestly may not have helped at all had a fall occured, but was of psychological benifit more than anything. As I said before, I would not consider returning to this route without a 8mm rap rope and a harness of my own for back up. If a storm were to come in things would go south too fast. The situation we encountered here was honestly one of 2-3 that I can say was a questionable desision on my part continuing up with the water running down. My goal has always been to climb on skill and never on luck, I felt like for a couple of moves on this route I climbed on luck. imho its better to have an extra couple of pounds of gear, than risk a fall in this sketchy area. Have a safe climb up there and since I am not on this site a ton lately, please shoot me a message when you put up your TR, I would love to read it
SnowAlien	Awesome 4/2/2015 7:45pm Great photos. This was the only mountain so far where I could not really enjoy the summit as I kept thinking - how would I get down? We did SW ridge though. I want to do Hourglass route, but probably as a winter ascent.

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