Summit Little Bear Peak

This hike starts on Lake Como Road with the goal of eventually reaching Lake Como.  If you have a modified 4WD car you can get all the way to the lake in it, but if you do not feel like risking damage to your vehicle park as low as you deem necessary to do that.  Most 4WD stock vehicles can make it quite a ways up the road. The total mileage and elevation gain depend on how far you get on this road.  I would count on 5 miles or so to the lake if you have a stock high clearance 4WD.

After hiking up the road between four and six miles, you will reach Lake Como. From here you can see Little Bear and the talus field you need to climb to the east.  Follow the 4WD a quarter of a mile or so until you eventually can go off trail to your right to climb the talus field.  

Once you reach the top of this gully, you can drop to the south of the ridgeline on more gradual terrain until you reach more serious terrain.  For those not used to rock climbing, this section can be tough, but there is a fixed rope that can aid in your ascent.  The final 600 feet or so of gain involves following a gully that narrows down to a thin point so that any rocks above you will tumble straight down on you.  With that in mind, once you get above this point any rocks you hit will tumble down upon those below you. Tread lightly.  Soon you will be at the narrow summit and from there you can turn around and continue down the way you came.  You can also continue on to Blanca via a very exposed ridgeline involving some low fifth class climbing.