Little Bear Peak

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 7/16/2025, By: jemsmith14
Info: Summer conditions! A little bit of water running down the choke, but totally manageable. We just wanted to say that while the rock fall is definitely a concern, this route is totally manageable. We got a little in our heads with the reports, but we were able to work well with those climbing that day and no rocks were kicked down. Kicking rocks down is absolutely avoidable if you are being conscious of it! Just wanted to give some encouragement- it definitely takes being cognizant, but is totally doable and a fun peak!! You can do it!! 

Route: West Ridge and Hourglass
Posted On: 7/8/2025, By: balati
Info: My first class 4. Climb to hourglass was relatively easy, route is well marked by cairns. Hourglass was wet but not so much so that it was difficult to avoid. The bottom section of the hourglass up to the top of the green rope was the scariest in my opinion. Rope was useful for assisting in butt scooting on the descent. As always rockfall was a major concern in the hourglass. Summer conditions, zero snow on the route. 

Route: SW Ridge
Posted On: 7/5/2025, By: Bonesaw
Info: No snow, no trail, and lots of suffering. Bring boots if you have them for the endless talus 

Route: Lb-Blanca Traverse
Posted On: 7/2/2025, By: mmontello1
Info: Technically summer conditions in the hourglass, but boy was it unbelievably sketchy this morning! Super thin glaze of ice covering a large percentage of the rock faces. Ive been through the hourglass many times, but today took me over 30 mins to pick a way through. Later is probably better until it dries out a bit more or stays above freezing at night. 

Route: West Ridge and Hourglass
Posted On: 6/30/2025, By: 5meodimte
Info: Complete summer conditions. Green rope was replaced on 6/28. I'll post pictures of ropes and anchors shortly. Hourglass had the predictable amount of moisture running down the center. Little Bear to Blanca traverse was also complete summer conditions and ready to go. Skeeters are bad at Lake Como. 

Route: West ridge Indirect
Posted On: 6/30/2025, By: deepdarkseas
Info: Attempted following daway’s excellent TR. Gaining the ridge from the split with the Hourglass route is as easy as following the easiest way that goes. However I was forced to back down at the crux block, which requires a few very difficult moves (for a non-rock climber at least) over fatal exposure on both sides that I was not comfortable with. For context I am not a climber, but I have done Capitol, Crestone Needle, and Sunlight’s summit block with no problems with either moves or exposure. This crux felt like a major step up on both fronts compared to those peaks. Maybe I just had an off day, but I would recommend considering this route seriously before attempting. I will be trying the hourglass next time… 

Route: West Ridge Indirect
Posted On: 6/20/2025, By: MidsizeAl
Info: Summer conditions. Huge thanks to those who have worked to get this route established (daway8, CaptainSuburbia, sean23 et al.) We found the route finding relatively simple, and the scrambling was a blast. Took the crux head on and had no issues. The exposure is big, but it goes quickly. The tip about climbing above the white rock to find the exit ledge was super helpful. Returned the same way. I’ll post some pictures when I get home. We spoke to one person who ascended the hourglass and said that the only rope that extends to the bottom (green) has its sheath completely cut. Highly advise against using it. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 6/19/2025, By: Lafra123
Info: Initial gully had some small, totally avoidable snow patches. Bottom of the hour glass had a patch of snow that was almost avoidable if we went climbers left on some rocks, although on the way down I didn't want to repeat those moves so I did put on microspikes for about 20 steps. At about 10:45 AM the lower hour glass was icy (especially at the narrowest section), but we were able to climb around it (although this did make it more challenging). No snow or ice above the hour glass. Nearly all the ice was melted by the time we descended the hour glass at around 12:30 but then it was fairly wet with some flowing water. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 6/20/2025, By: NOJ
Info: Conditions were pretty good. A little snow in the class 2 gully leading up. Hourglass has a bit of snow in the middle and snowmelt running down rock. Advise climbers left going up. *please note there has been a lot of vehicle break ins up on lake como road. (Found out about it after the fact) My truck got broken into while we were up on the hike at the end . Please make sure all vehicles stay locked and camp equipment is stowed securely. 

Route: West Ridge Indirect
Posted On: 6/14/2025, By: daway8
Info: Little Bear West Ridge Indirect is essentially in summer conditions. The little snow left in the first gully to gain the ridge is trivial to avoid. After that, very few pockets of snow left anywhere near the route and all were easy to avoid. It looked like that might not quite be the case yet for the standard Hourglass route, but we didn't get a full view of it. West Ridge Direct looked dry. Across the valley, still saw a fair amount of snow leading over to Ellingwood and Blanca. Confirmed the white rock identified by sean23 and his crew as the best and most obvious landmark for finding the class2+ ledge system which makes this route so much easier to follow. Also confirmed a partial bypass of the class 4 crux which was maybe a tiny bit easier, perhaps difficult class 3. Getting very close to being able to make an official route out of this. Plan to revise my West Ridge Indirect report soon to include the new updates. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 5/31/2025, By: Pcypher
Info: Leave your snowshoes at home! Gully is a mix of rocks (lower and upper) and deep soft snow. We did put a nice trench through the gully which someone hopefully benefited from today! No snow along the ridge or slope that can’t be avoided easily. We took the indirect west ridge route. The exposure is extreme for the short section as indicated and we didn’t realize we were below the summit when we were. Route as indicated in captain suburbia and daways reports are very good. Partner who is 3 peaks away from finishing all the 14ers for the 5th time felt this route was definitely safer than the hourglass (all his other climbs on this peak were via hourglass) but was also harder. I found the route to be fun but very steep and exposed in parts. I have no comparison to offer with the hourglass. The lower slope and hourglass appeared to still have snow but I would expect conditions in the hourglass to be mixed based on other areas of this peak. We did not get photos of the hourglass. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 5/18/2025, By: Nathaniel Brown
Info: No snow until you're rounding the lake. Excellent snow up the gully then mostly a rocky traverse until some snowfields that are more or less continuous with the hourglass. The hourglass itself is icy. The central part recently avalanched, but did not to climbers left (and that appears poorly consolidated). Was challenging to downclimb in crampons and a mountain axe. Though ice tools are far from necessary, two axes would be of real benefit. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 5/7/2025, By: Whitemtnskier
Info: Summited and skied Little Bear Peak on 05/03. Just about zero snow up to Lake Como. Camped from fri night to Sunday morning, went for the Little Bear summit on Saturday. Deep snow up first gully, a bit of a crust on the surface in the morning but melted into wet and heavy stuff by early afternoon. Traverse over to the base of Hourglass Gully was also completely dry. Bottom 600 feet or so of Hourglass (below the choke) was covered in recent avy debris, looks like it went pretty big. There was snow up to probably 13800 on the east side of the gully, but we climbed out of it to the west and had a few hundred feet of (mostly) dry climbing to the summit. Last 100 feet under the summit was back to snow, but a little too thin to ski. For a full trip report, I posted the footage on YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cPOQWaRkVEI 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 4/24/2025, By: catfish hank
Info: Attempted standard route to hour glass via snow climb. There was a few inches of snow on the way up and through Lake Como. Above this flotation was needed on this day. Whatever snow may have fallen into the basin during last weeks storm had mostly snow drifted into the West Ridge/ western slopes. I was easily finding over 3 feet in places and was more or less swimming up a snow field vs climbing. The center of the slope had approximately 2 ft. but felt vulnerable to marching straight up this way. Turned around about a little more than halfway up. i could only imagine the hour glass in the same miserable conditions. This approach in this day was a turning into a soul stealer. The snow should pack down and make for a makable snow climb. but by when is anyones guess. More wind and snow in the forecast. Right now flotation probably not necessary. Its assistance for some short stretches might not be worth the weight carrying up. Had a family of rams and picas for company and that was pretty much it. Solitude kicked in an enjoyable wilderness experience and so no regrets on this attempt. 

Route: Lake Como Approach
Posted On: 3/30/2025, By: Cruiser
Info: Had the day off so I ran down after work yesterday to see how the Sangres were looking at low tide. I drove up to the large pullout at 10.2k and camped there. Intermittent snow from 10k on the road until the lake then continuous snow afterwards. Lake is still frozen but there's a little bit of creek poking thru just below the lake for filtering water. I didn't use traction until the lake but snowshoes were helpful (I post holed up to my waist a couple times and then put em on) along the shore and up the apron below the gully to gain the west ridge. Gully was filled in despite low tide but the snow was punchy even after a solid freeze last night so I shut it down and opted for the fun run instead of the summit. Last time I climbed LB it was a month later in the season and a lot better snow year so the snow in the gully and hourglass were isothermic and far more confidence inspiring than what I found today. Sorry, no pics as I forgot my phone.