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Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Spark
As the job hunt continues, the trip reports keep coming. Still taking advantage of weekdays off, I decided to hit Lake Como before the end of calendar winter. My initial plan was to camp at the lake and take on Blanca Peak on the morning of the 19th. However, I started getting into PMs and forum conversations about Little Bear, and before I knew it I was seriously considering it.
Then a funny thing happened on Thursday, the day before I was to hike in to the lake. After the fourth interview (this one with the CEO/founder) over the course of many weeks, a prospective employer pulled the plug. The feedback was that the candidate "lacked a spark." Lacked a spark. Lacked a spark! A particular spark that this particular CEO knows he either sees in someone or doesn't? Or just a general spark, a spark of any kind. You've no spark, kid. I could not stop thinking about that.
So following a number of conversations with myself about sparks and the like, I found my resolve to do Little Bear ever increasing. However, there was one more conversation I needed have with myself. Determination and confidence are great, but they don't necessarily make you any more capable, qualified, experienced, or skilled. If you want to climb that mountain to prove something to yourself (I got yer spark right here, pal!), you had better bear that in mind.
An aside about lists, if you will indulge me. 58 or 54 or 53 or however you see fit to count is not likely for me. My pessimism comes in the form of three words: The San Juans. I do need to get down there (I've lived in CO 4 years now), but man, that is a haul. So much so that the prospect of me dedicating a day's drive on each end of a summit and thus using up 3 days minimum to bag a peak or two seems unlikely. I'm sure I'll get there eventually and nab a couple, but I won't be getting them all.
Of the remaining peaks on my sans-Juan list (see what I did there?), there are a few that always seem to carry an asterisk in my mind. Little Bear is one of these: that Hourglass, that daunting description of the rock fall hazard, the reputation. However, I had read a few reports about winter climbing and found that if the conditions were just right, then voila! Rock fall hazard reduced! There is of course the increased risk of ice slippage, failed self-arrest, and general winter fun to consider. It's a balance thing, but it had always piqued my interest. Could I really do Little Bear in winter?
The Gully looks pretty sweet!
So that is how I found myself camped here, planning to take on Little Bear in the morning. I went over the timeline a hundred times, working backwards, padding nicely. If I have to be home by 9pm to let the dog out, I have to..... break camp at 0430. I tend to create very detailed plans and timelines when undertaking something of this sort. I gave myself strict instructions to be always ready to turn back, to carefully consider all conditions, and ended up putting my odds at something like 20-25 percent likelihood of actually summiting.
Cozy
At 0435 (behind already!) I started across the lake and through the trees, convincing myself I had found the right way to the gully. I wore snowshoes up the apron a distance, then switched to crampons. It was obviously very dark, but very clear. The stars peeking over the silhouette of the ridge convinced me I had the right gully. Thanks to some previous glissading, I had a couple paths into which my kick steps held firm, and for the most part I was able to avoid sugar snow. Up, up, up, in the dark, in the quiet, I made steady progress. At one point I looked down and saw several headlamps on the trail, but was unsure if they were headed up to Blanca or destined to chase me for part of the day.
I made the top of the gully at 0602 (28 mins ahead!) and removed the crampons. Wardrobe changes are always a drag, always slow one's progress, but for the most part can't be avoided. From the top of the notch, it was rib, rib, rib (at least a half-rack) in an easterly direction. The light was coming on now, and eventually I switched off the headlamp. I didn't worry too much about finding a trail, just kept a reasonable distance below the top of the ridge and kept working towards the summit. I finally rounded another rib and saw this.
Finally light enough to take pics
The apron and entrance to the Hourglass. Am I really doing this? That's really it, right there. Well how about that. About this time I realized I was, in fact, going to have company, noticing a couple figures on the ridge behind me. This was great news. I was secretly hoping that I would encounter some other people up here to help with decision making, conditions evaluating, route finding, kick stepping, and generally share in the insanity.
Once again, I stopped and donned the crampons, and soon enough was headed across the snow. It was very firm, and almost completely continuous once I got back on it. It required deliberate kick stepping and concentration the whole time. To my right was a long slide down that I had no interest in trying. The couple guys behind me were gaining ground pretty steadily, but I just kept plugging along. Soon enough, Chris and Jon (of Sleeping on the Summits fame, it turns out) caught up to me and volunteered to take the lead. Man, this was working out better than I could have expected.
Entrance to Hourglass
In no time, we were on our way up the Hourglass. Keeping a reasonable distance between us, I trailed behind, taking full advantage of the steps and getting a chance to rest. We encountered a couple modest ice bulges, but nothing we couldn't work our way around.
Working our way up the Hourglass A look back down
I won't describe this section at length, owing to the fact that, well, there is not a lot to say. We cruised up the nice, firm snow. There was no secret deadly ice layer under the top layer of snow. There was no ice bulge blocking our way. There was no tricky rock/trapdoor snow/ice section. There were really no tough decisions to make. In fact, we got past the choke point, opted to go right at the top, and then followed a mostly continuous snow line all the way to the summit. Before I knew it, I was standing on the top of Little Bear at 0838 (almost an hour ahead of schedule!). I had always wondered if I'd ever make it to the top of this one, and here I was, in calendar winter to boot. I was pretty thrilled.
Another one for the Duck!
The views were just unbelievable. I'd have liked to stay up top longer, but in the last 20 mins or so the wind had really picked up. Even though the sun was great and the temps were not bad, I was ready to go and started down after a mere 12 minutes on top. I encountered two others on their way up; I didn't catch your names but congrats to both of you as well. The return down the Hourglass went smoothly, as did the apron, the ridge, and the gully.
Back down the Hourglass The way home
I made it back to my camp at exactly 1100, a full two and a half hours ahead of schedule. My dog, Sophie, would ultimately be pretty thrilled with that.
Thanks to those of you I'd been in contact or conversation with, and to those who joined me on the mountain.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Life is unfortunately full of people that spout stuff that isn't true, and the number of great talents that initially were passed over (e.g. look at when Tom Brady was drafted; Fred Astaire's audition notes said he "can dance a little...") is legion. Getting a knock then starting off to solo a tough peak in winter? Lotsa spark, buddy. Enjoyed the report, great accomplishment.
-Tom
PS: No San Juans? Eh, never say never. Double up on what you can (e.g. Wilson/El Diente, etc.) and just give yourself plenty of years. It's yours if you want it.
Congrats on a sparkly snowflake! Looks like some fine conditions in the Hourglass. Not much wrong with trailing Dr. Jon. I happened to run into him myself a couple times this winter :)
Maybe you need to show this report to that employer who said you lacked spark. :D
Having done this route in summer conditions, I would have preferred your ideal winter conditions and avoided the rockfall that bombarded my partner and I. Seriously dangerous situation I'd rather not ever experience again.
Nothing makes for better motivation than somebody telling you you can't do it, or you lack the skill, the spark, or what have you. Nice job going for the bold.
Really nice trip report. Were you roped up for the decent? I've done some spring 14ers where I was on microspikes the entire time and then post-holed the entire way down, but I want to start doing winter couloirs with crampons/axe with some people who can teach me the technique.
Tom: As a native New Englander and Pats fan, I definitely appreciate the Brady mention!
Cdev: No rope, and in fact I did not face the mountain at all on the decent either, although you can see in the next to last pic that Jon did.
Great timing on this one. Like your taste in avatars and music.
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