Colorado 14ers: Little Bear Peak to Blanca Peak Traverse Hike Information & Review
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- Опубликовано: 2 сен 2019
- The Little Bear Peak to Blanca Peak Traverse was no joke. Without a doubt the hardest of the great 14er traverses in my opinion. Nick and I climbed the mile long, 1-5 ft wide ridge on a perfect windless day in August. This ridge is highly exposed and is only recommended for those who are extremely comfortable with exposure and have completed the other 3 great traverses (Maroon Bells, Crestones, El Diente) according to Gerry Roach.
For more information and a complete hike review about the Little Bear Peak to Blanca Peak Traverse, please visit: www.thevirtualsherpa.com/littl...
For part 1 of this hike, how to hike Little Bear Peak: • Colorado 14ers: Little...
Videos of the 3 other great traverses:
Maroon Bells: • Colorado 14ers: Maroon...
Crestones: • Colorado 14ers: Cresto...
El Diente to Mt Wilson: • Colorado 14ers: El Die...
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Couple of comments about this video: 1. I swear a lot - I am sorry, I know some of you don't love that, but I edited out as much as I could without sacrificing from the real experience that I had. 2. I reference the second tower in this video - truly you do not reach the 2nd tower of Blanca until after we finished the cat walk - the 3rd tower (and working up it) is all the footage after that. 3. Please read the full hike review on my website (linked above) if you plan on hiking this, the video is helpful but so is reading the full description in this case.
1 - Swear away; that's some real exposure!
You're literally risking you life for the sake of educating others on 14er's.... To me no one should complain about your swearing even if they don't like it.
I was swearing just watching it.
my heart exploded out of my chest watching you do this. lol
congrats, impressive to say the least
The cursing just adds to the video in my opinion. I’d be cursing too with that exposure haha.
Yeah, how can you not curse there. Just watching I was swearing.
This looks terrifying
look unnecessarily dangerous. lol
This is the Knife’s Edge times a billion. Geez!!!
The entire ridge itself is a knife edge😂
That leap gave me a mini heart attack @17:48
Swear all you want my dude, I would've dropped an F bomb every 5 seconds.
I think I only heard one or two from you this entire video, so that's a feat in and of itself.
That drone footage is insane
Easily the best video on the LB/Blanca traverse out there. We did this about 4 days after you did it, and boy was it intense. Loved watching and reliving it through this video. Headed up to finish the 4th traverse with the Crestone Traverse this week. Thanks for the videos!
Makes the Knife Edge look like nothing,,, Holly you know what,, thanks for taking me along.
My memory is that might be the toughest place I've ever been on 14ers without ropes. It was 15 years ago and it seems like yesterday
You guys did AWESOME! Thanks for sharing!!!
I am amazed and you and your fellow climbers. Thank you for sharing this trip.
hey man, just found your channel. incredible work! great descriptions. im planning little bear in 2 weeks weather permitting. you guys are awesome, great job!
Awesome videos bro! They have given me the confidence for all the traverses and Capitol!!!!
Dude this is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen. Definitely trying this !!
WOW. It was insane. Great video. You guys are badass. Hope you guys always maintain composure climbing such a dangerous mountains.
Been waiting for this. A couple of buddies have done it, but I wasn’t able to attend. Can’t wait to do this traverse.
Hell yeah my dude. Did my first 14er this weekend after watching some of your videos. Love it!
Yeww man that’s one cooI traverse . I can tell you are wayyy more comfortable you have gotten up there compared to older vids. Keep it up friend 👍🏼
I have seen some crazy things in my life, and this is one of the most insane. You are the ultimate boss.
YO vs -- once again, amazing footage, route explanation, etc... BUT this video is a f'in trip my dude. got me sweating watching this, great great great video man. Thank you man.
Your best video yet. Your commentary describes how I feel 90% of the time climbing! “Do you guys feel we’ve made any progress? Cause I dont” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Jamie Betker lmao thanks Jamie appreciate it 😂
Epic video! I could definitely sense the sketchiness in your breathing along some of those sections!
Looks like a blast! Can't wait to try this this summer
Will Haack def one of the spiciest routes I’ve been on but a ton of fun for sure!
I'm sweating and my stomach is turning. Holy Redbull crazy shit!! great job dude, you guys are equally insane and experienced. Thanks for the ride
You guys are badass!!! I did the peaks separately and the traverse looked sick.
That whole traverse was insane. Fair play to y’all for doing it and recording it.
Awesome job and video. Beautiful!
Brent LaForge thanks Brent appreciate it 👍🏽
Looks like you got a perfect day! Congrats!!
Thanks man - yeah, it only took 2 years for us to get a good weather/conditions window finally!
That was so freaking badass man. I completely understand the language as well. In situations like that you have to get it out, it does something for the mind.
I've done the Crestone traverse, but watching this makes me want to puke. Holy exposure, Batman!!!
I just enjoyed a 6 minute Tommy Shaw video for this. Both very well worth it!! Cheers!
Great video. You guys are out of your minds. Glad you're not dead!
LMAO every day - me too!
You know it’s sketchy when the VS is dropping f-bombs and s-bombs! Great video! I don’t think I’ll ever do it, so thanks for bringing us along for the experience!
My heart was racing the whole time. I don’t typically swear, but I would on that ridge. This is awesome insanity!
Bomber Video! Congrats
That transverse is just insane and your footage shows it very vividly. I have viewed a couple of other climbs in the past, but you footage is so much better as it really shows what the exposure is really like...terrifying! Just looking at the rock you cross still appears to be very unstable with all the cracks. I would imagine that with freezing and thawing that many changes occur in those rocks from season to season. Rocks that were once stable can become loose for the next year. I now got my adrenalin rush and now I don't need to do this or Little Bear. Thanks!!
thank you for your service.
My hands are sweaty watching this.... Great job!
Knocked out sawtooth and longs this past summer for my first 14ers and while I clearly have a lot to do as I work my way up to this type of stuff, it’s so hype to just be getting started because this looks freakin sick
Man I was on Lindsey yesterday looking at that traverse thinking NOPE and then got home and saw you posted this video and it confirmed my NOPE theory. But your videos are seriously some of the best on YT for info and routes. I seriously hope to find your video on the routes I’m doing whenever I decide on a 14er. Doing Ellingwood and Blanca next week from Zapata Falls and saw you have a video on that. You’re the best man! Hope to run into you one day out there.
IVnugzftwXX thanks very kind appreciate it.
Excellent video. Thank you
Wow, this was amazing! Kind of liken it to the "Mission Impossible" of mountaineering; Great work 👏⛰️🧗♂️
Hey we’re in Colorado for the month for some hiking and will be hiking in alamosa, aspen and Breckinridge. If you are hiking in Co we want to buy you a beer! Love the content
New subscriber here. Just wanted to thank you for making these videos, especially for people like me who can never experience stuff like this first hand due to suffering from serious vertigo. I mean the fun thing is, I sometimes get nausea from just watching you climb along those serious exposures. I can hardly imagine the feeling of accomplishment you must have after those journeys. Btw. I found your channel mostly by accident looking for live footage of capitol peak and got stuck here fast. Now I'm binge watching your videos. It's really fascinating stuff for me and honestly a mystery how you can climb such ridiculous stuff, capture the footage and still comment on it... I did some mountain hiking in the alps back in the day, but what you're doing is a whole different kettle of fish.
Cheers, welcome and thank you for the kind words. Lots to binge on here but not the alps yet - hope to get there soon!
As a resident of Custer County I enjoyed seeing what I will never see, and even more impressed with our local Search and Rescue who every year rescue people on the Sangres, and recover the bodies of several people a year. Even more impressed with those volunteers now. My friend you have nerves of steel!!!
Wow are you serious! i was thinking while watching this, how many people have lost their lives on this ridge.
I watched this video right after the Matterhorn - Wetterhorn traverse video that you did solo. @22.40, you mention this as the most difficult but at least the rock was better quality, the previous video was genuinely terrifying with all the loose rock and high exposure.
I, like you did, will save this traverse for my grand finale when completing the 14ers list, I've currently got 10 down including Blanca and Ellingwood. Great video!
Thanks man, appreciate it.
Catwalk at 16:58 for those wondering. Great vid, guys. I always wanted to do this traverse, until I saw this video, haha. Knowing the possibility of one rock breaking loose and seeing what that would mean here is a bit too much for me. Thanks again.
Thanks Ryan - glad you found the video helpful/entertaining.
@@TheVirtualSherpa Do you ever look back at these and think "damn how am I still alive?" I bet you have some stories to tell
Did blanca two weeks ago. As good as your video is, this ridge looked even more insane in person. The exposure is crazy and the wind up there is typically pretty strong. Big congrats on getting through it and thank you for the awesome vid!
Elijah Lee thanks appreciate it - def a tough one but glad it’s checked off now
The hot air from the San Luis Valley and the upper westerly winds can be impressive in the Sangri De Christo mts . As is the rotor on the down wind side
I need to watch your vids before doing some class 3/4 hikes. Recently tried to bag one of California 14ers Mount Tyndall 14,025 feet. Last section is kinda exposed. Made it to 13,800 so i did not summit, but had i watched one of your vids prior, probably would have summited lol.
happy to watch. this scrambling is way above my paygrade lol
I love watching videos. When I can’t get out and hike at least I feel like I’m hiking with you. Would love to know how you got down the mountain. Did you have an easier way down on Blanco?
Thanks Carri appreciate it and glad you enjoy the videos. Yes, the hike down Blanca was much easier, just took the standard route back to Lake Como.
Love your videos, just discovered them the other day. I’m from Colorado living in California now, but back visiting. One question, on the harder peaks why don’t you rope up with a thin rope and swap belays with some limited protection just in case something broke loose or you slipped?
It’s really not necessary on this hike. Sure, there is exposure but nothing on this route (at least for us) exceeded class 4. Having a rope would just be overkill. Not saying I don’t recommend it for people if it makes them more comfortable but it’s just not for me in this scenario.
Very informative video, I’ll never try this!
LOL
Wow! Your a badass hikers. I want to be like you when I grow up! Lol
Amazing video and hike review! Can you please comment how close you can get to Lake Como with a regular 4WD, but not a modified vehicle? Are there areas you can pull over before the road becomes very difficult for a regular 4WD vehicle? Thank you!
Emanuel Tutuc check out this video and blog post in the description it will answer a lot of questions: ruclips.net/video/CbYMAxRlAT8/видео.html As far as the road, it entirely depends on your car, driving ability and experience on really really rough roads and the year. In a truck, we made it up about 2.5 miles from the highway and after that (I show it in the video) there are only 3 more smaller parking areas (show them in the video.) not really a canned answer sorry, everyone’s experience will be different depending on comfort level beating up your car and experiences
Dang, wish I had hooked up with you guys. We were here at the same time...did Blanca on Monday 9/3, then did Little Bear on Tuesday 9/4. Nobody was there on Tuesday and I was solo so didn't have enough nerve to try the traverse by myself. Looks so awesome! Love your videos man...I don't think I've seen anyone else provide drone footage of this traverse. Rock on man!
We actually hiked this about 2 weeks before labor day but I didn't release the video until this week. Hope you enjoyed the trip though.
Leading up to 12:50-13:00 and on is a piece of work if there ever was one, then the catwalk, Yikes! Everything looks loose. Great photography -all of it is up there with the best.
Love the video, congrats......YOU ARE NUTS!
haha - thanks appreciate it.
Damn, I can hardly watch this, let alone do it. I don't know if it's the GoPro lens that makes it look so vertigo-inducing and whether you feel more secure than it looks. But that is some long-ass sketch. I'm pretty sure I would not be able to stand up calmly there. Great vid.
Heading to do blanca next weekend I'm gonna do a day hike. Is it pretty sketchy exposure on blanca ? Damn good video thanks for showing us the traverse man
Emery Williams nope, blanca by itself is very tame in terms of exposure
9:34 in... "At some point its going to get steep" hahah. Holy shit. Great job!
Ag C ig sure did haha - thanks!
I live in the valley below Blanca. I love this mountain. This scares me to death. I have cold feet and weak knees just watching this. Terrifying.
hahaha! i think we all did. Blanca just dominates this region in such a powerful way! I plan on camping just below it with my daughter in july at Zapata Falls.
I was cursing with you as I watched it. Totally warranted.
I have the same boots, don’t think they make them anymore but so great. Haven’t put mine through any sketchy traverses really though! With your comments about all the downclimbing, would you recommend doing it other way? Epic vids
They have a new version that is more or less the same as the old ones. Would not do it the other way because you would still have downclimbing - its impossible to avoid either way.
@@TheVirtualSherpa I was looking for them and it seems like the new version might be quite a bit stiffer, no? If ours are the same they could use a bit more stiffness in the uppers but seemed like a different boot. Anyhow, thanks for replying, still watching your videos, recovering from a foothill hike yesterday ha
Was on Blanca on Aug 28th and took a look at what you did and there is no way in the world would ever attempt to do what you did, got nervous in spots just going up the ridge between Ellingwood and Blanca. Guess you would not recommend taking the the dog along on this one. Congrats impressive accomplishment.
Thanks, really appreciate it! Bringing a dog on this would not even cross my mind for one second.
@@TheVirtualSherpa
Just kidding around stupid thought about taking a dog. Great video though showing this difficult traverse may try it in my next life if I come back as a mountain goat.
13:37 looks trippy for a sec lol
I chuckle a little inside every time you use the word "hike" to describe what you are doing in this video. I usually change my word choice to "climb" after Class 3. 🙂
Your footage is so dope. I thought it was intense enough crossing Pacific Peak's 1.25 mile east ridge. If you give Little Bear-Blanca a 10 for sketchiness, and assuming you have crossed Pacific, how low would you rate Pacific?
Haven’t done that route yet unfortunately so can’t compare.
@@TheVirtualSherpa Thanks. Appreciate it the same... certainly didnt have the catwalk!
I remember hearing an interesting saying about the Little Bear - Blanca Traverse: "You don't learn anything when you do it". That is, you had better already know exactly what climbing moves you will need and have plenty of experience in them before you try this. If there is anything you're not sure of, get it down and get it in your bloodstream before you make this attempt. And after watching this video, I can certainly understand what that means.
100% - this is def not the ridge to figure out what class 4 is or if you are comfortable with exposure and loose rock. There is 0 escape once you are on it.
This one is for the big boys
This was a great and informative video thanks. I may have been an uncouth sailor myself across portions of those catwalks, and I very heavily agree those looked the sketchiest easily out of that whole climb. A climber on a bad day for the mountain could easily make a poor move. Think if rain hit you in the middle, and you had that going. Jesus, any kind of rain on that would seriously fuck your mental confidence. At least mine lol.
Rain would be nightmare scenario stuff on this route. Glad you enjoyed the vid!
Wow. That. Is. All.
Note to self: never!
You entrust your life on thousands of steps to rocks of unknown looseness while on a highly exposed knife edge. Brave and skilled.
I am imagining what a time-lapse video of the ridge over say ten million years would look like, with seemingly huge solid rocks breaking, falling...
I felt like i was watching a horror movie. Like dont go in that room. My palms were sweaty and i had adrenaline. First ridge i did was kelso ridge and i about had a heart attack so flash backs from this video lol. Good stuff. Think im going to save this for last. Balls of steel my friend
LMAO - thanks man - it was a mentally intense day for sure. The worst part for me was just 2 years of building it up in my head and then finally being there. Once the down climb was out of the way I sort of got more comfortable, until the cat walk anyway haha - Can't wait to attempt Kelso, has been on my list for so long.
@@TheVirtualSherpa its definitely going to be a walk in the park compared to this. Some exposure towards the top and a lot of loose big rocks in the couloirs. My first knifes edge and then there is a move at the end on these pillars i down climbed and over but it was actually easoer to just walk the ridge. Its going to be super easy for you, but for me i was terrified in a few spots it was my first introduction to exposure. Ill be doing mountain 9 and 10 this week.
So after you get longs peak done, then what?
@@Maxmilion6004 Great question - probably just doing the things that I like - lots of Class 3/4, maybe slowly working on the top 100 and going to be starting segment hiking the Colorado trail as well.
@@TheVirtualSherpa those would be really cool videos to see. Cant wait
Sheer exposures and fish-eye GoPros do not mix. That was terrifying, yet I could not look away...
FWIW: Most of this was shot on a standard wide view gopro setting, nothing super wide. I can assure you that even though the wide shot adds some dramatic looks to the route, this is an extremely exposed hike. Glad you enjoyed the video though!
Do you rock climb? I would imagine it would be great prep for something like this.
Occasionally, but not a top hobby for me - but absolutely would be great experience for scrambles like this.
Do you descend through the ridge also, on the same route?
You head down the standard route of Blanca although you could head back on the ridge if you really like suffering.
Entire video turns my stomach. Love hiking but that exposure is a big nope from me.
Yeah this one is def a hair raiser!
Holy sh*t! Even though I'm sitting in a chair watching this, my legs give away!
What about belaying ??? Is it possible or usefull?
Wow. I live in CO to experience awesome stuff and push my limits, but hell no on that. I’d panic and get stuck.
How would it compare to Capitol Peak? Have yet to do Maroon Bells but I know people consider Capitol more challenging
Different planets - rank them all here www.thevirtualsherpa.com/ranking-the-colorado-14ers-by-difficulty/
Next you should do the Capital to Snowmass traverse.
Have heard about it - but something about the insanely loose conditions in the elks makes me think twice. Maybe some day though...
"The Capitol to Snowmass ridge traverse has been called "the hardest connecting ridge of any 14er by far and possibly the hardest ridge traverse in the state of Colorado, if not the entire USA...."
- 14ers.com
No thanks.
Oh man, probably wanna wear an adult diaper for that catwalk section!!! Other than climbing 14ers and general mountaineering, how much rock climbing/bouldering/gym experience did you have prior to doing this?
I've climbed outside a handful of times, mostly just single pitch but a few multi-pitch trips and in the gym a ton but I would not say I am a a good rock climber by any means. I saved this traverse for last (out of Gerry Roach's other 3) and this was my 57th 14er as well. The key part about any exposed ridge is just experience and feeling confident with yourself so that the mountain is the only x factor.
haha that's so insane... Think Ill have to skip that one and do those two separate
Makes Capital look easy/simple
Wasn't there three of you at the start? Did he make it?
He did yeah - wasn’t part of our group so he just went on to do his own thing.
What happened to the other climber? Did you lose one before the cat walk? Didn't see mention of him in the comments below. I take it he was the drone pilot for the day, and descended back down Little Bear? Neat video. One of these days.
Pat Matecki On LB, the hiker just headed down after they summited. On the traverse, the third party was moving a bit faster than us so we just let him pass, met up with him later in the day. All footage (drone or otherwise) was shot by myself and my hiking partner.
@@TheVirtualSherpa Thanks for taking the time to reply. I have one more question. A week ago I ascended Ellingwood from Zapata Falls up the "C2" couloir (then descended a gulley directly east of "C2" as there was a climber in the proper couloir and I didn't want to risk sending rocks his way). Wife and pup stayed behind at South Zapata Lake. I'd like to tackle LB, and am wondering (rock fall aside) how much more technical climbing the Hourglass gulley is than Ellingwood's gulley. I'm not the most experienced rock climber. Would appreciate any insight on the comparison
@@patmatecki6225 Happy to assist, the gully on Ellingwood is mostly just loose conditions and rock hopping: class 2/3 at the highest. The hour glass on LB is on solid rock and class 3/4 hiking, with loose rock peppered in. I talk about the difference between the types of class ratings here: www.thevirtualsherpa.com/yds-class-system-explained/ . Since I don't know you personally, I would be hesitant to say anything outside of: be comfortable on class 3 and 4 rock before attempting LB.
How difficult would it be to go the other direction?
Joe Kimbrough probably pretty similar except you are getting most of the tough stuff first.
This video might cure constipation, because it makes me crap my pants.
Would you do it again? It looks traumatizing. It looks like it's too dangerous to be worth it. Especially if the weather changed. I don't think I want to do it now that I've thought about it. The exposure on both sides for a prolonged period of time had to be overwhelming.
17:40 Fun Fun!
My pants would have been wet; on both sides.
4:42 pretty much where i decided to turn around, that ledge was hella scary, i didn't do any research on this traverse lol.. i climbed little bear and remembered there's a way to cross to blanca so i tried but noope no way man
i think the worst part is, the uncertainty of how stable or unstable the rock is
yep finished watching and im glad i turned around cause it seemed to only get worse haha
I wonder if anybody ever meets people going the other way on this? That could be kinda awkward on some of these sections.
That’s nucking futs
Dude. This video gives me anxiety just watching it. Also, wondering if the video makes the ridge look more narrow than it is? How many feed wide would you say it is on average, and at it's most narrow?
Average - 3/4ft at its most narrow under 2
@@TheVirtualSherpa nice. that is awesome. I hope to do this one day. Am doing Mt Sneffels SW Ridge on 10/28. Looks fairly clear weather but hope that remains true. Your videos give me good insight as to what to expect on these routes. Appreciate all the content!
Expect some snow on the ridge, storms starting to move in this week and looks like the dry pattern is finally changing.
Today, I don't know, it's Christmas or the 4th of July.