Little Bear to Blanca Peak Traverse, the Colorado Legend Documented! [4K UHD Cinematic]
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ค. 2020
- A Thrilling and Spectacular traverse across the narrow and exposed ridge linking Little Bear and Blanca Peak 14ers starting with a ROUGH bike ascent up the 4x4 approach road and mountain climbing Little Bear. Note*** This is the original, full documentation of the challenges this adventure entails! This is a dangerous route and should only be attempted by trained and conditioned climbers after an in-depth review of the many risks involved. Special Thanks to the Virtual Sherpa for providing a solid Beta video that motivated me to do this climb in the first place!
Very pleased with the extensive dji drone footage, the perspectives do some justice to this incredible area!
Music By my favorite! Truly a GREAT and Generous unrecognized Artist!
Punch Deck
I'm Still Here, Brahe, Aimless Lyrics, Keep it Wavy, Longing, Oppressive Ambiance, | / punch-deck Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Also Featuring: Ambient infinitely by Keys of Moon | / keysofmoon Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Unknown World by Free Music | / fm_freemusic Music promoted by www.free-stock-music.com Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License creativecommons.org/licenses/...
DISCLAIMER: The Expedition(s) documented on this channel are for entertainment purposes only, NOT FOR Explicit Instruction or Route Execution. I have had MANY NEAR DEATH experiences and a couple serious accidents over 30 years of Backcountry adventures, the RISKS are very REAL. I do not recommend or encourage attempting the routes or strategies shown in these videos, and assume no personal responsibility if you choose to do a similar outing. As always, hike, bike and climb at your own risk. Know Your LIMITS and stay within them if you expect to avoid any accidents. even then. . . - กีฬา
![Maroon Bells Traverse, the EPIC Solo hiking & climbing Adventure Documentary! [4K UHD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/rfMzlFHzvm8/mqdefault.jpg)
![Maroon Bells Traverse, the EPIC Solo hiking & climbing Adventure Documentary! [4K UHD]](/img/tr.png)
![El Diente - Mt. Wilson 14er Ridge Traverse / The Ultimate San Juan Mtns Scramble! [4K UHD]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cPkiHY3AEBo/mqdefault.jpg)
![[ไฮไลต์] แบดมินตันชาย วิว กุลวุฒิ ไทย vs ฟินแลนด์ รอบแบ่งกลุ่ม | โอลิมปิก 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GIbeFO0tvnQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Perhaps the most EPIC solo ridge traverse on TH-cam. Incredible effort Karl
Thanks man I gave it all on this massive journey!! Wanted to leave this full version up for anyone interested in the whole story as tough and rewarding as it was
This should have WAAAAAY more views than it does. This is one of the most incredible (and ballsy) climbs ive ever seen.
Agree with you. Appreciate your comment, and please share with friends 👍! Cheers, Karl
I’m a Colorado native and very familiar with easy solo rock climbs. I’m super picky about the weather condition I plan to climb in as well but on easier trips. . . For me, can tolerate quite a bit of wind and some rain. . . Never lightening though! Check out my video of Ruby peak to Grays peak, I knew I’d be battling weather on that one and it was incredible. . . I also knew I had a tiny. Window of descent weather, one of my personal favorite videos!
This is incredible Karl. Very few people do this traverse a year, and when I mean few, I mean less than 150, probably 100 at most. The drone work is incredible and you've got incredible skills. You deserve more views and followers with such quality work.
Thank you my friend, it is a labor of love and this trip was a major honeymoon! I hope you will enjoy some of my other videos and they inspire you to do some of those adventures. For you I would recommend the Grizzly/Lawanee traverse video and doing it next summer, there is one, "real climbing"short down climb but with no real exposure . . . I just LOVED doing and editing that trip. I am just finishing the Kelso Ridge adventure, WOW, was it tough and I had major doubts about my footage with cameras freezing constantly, I think it came out quite well despite all the adversity . . . I hope we can do something together . . . much respect for your achievements and contagious attitude as well.
I am compiling a little anthology of memorable Karl Decker quotes. Here are two from this video:
"The good news is that it can't get any tougher." - while biking up on a tallus trail.
"It's like a sidewalk, as long as you don't jump off, you'll probably be all right." - while balancing on a narrow edge with 2000 ft drops on both sides.
What a fantastic traverse. You should have a Netflix special with episodic content.
LoL thanks again!
this video is unreal! The cinematics, the story telling, and most of all the sheer skill involved with this climb made it such an enjoyable watch!
Thank you my friend! Love to hear that you appreciated this incredible adventure! Karl Decker 👍👍
Your production quality is unrivaled. Don’t know how this video doesn’t have more views.
Hey man appreciate that compliment! This one had a terrible thumbnail until it was changed a year ago. Since then, it's been a top performer. Thanks again 👍
great shot of the ridge with the drone!!
Awesome trip. Thanks for taking me along. Wishing you all the best!
Look back on this mega traverse with great satisfaction! Glad you are enjoying these classic adventures...Best, Karl 👍👍
That was incredible to watch. Had me nervous and scared from the comfort of my own bed lol. I chickened out at crater lake and turned around. Thank you for sharing your experience. Truly amazing!
Of course no problem, that route is rated the most dangerous 14er climb in Colorado so yeah it's a beast!
This climb is worthy of comments. The video was astounding of your climbing skills and sure footedness. The only time I about lost it was at 28:46 when you had a small slip it looked like, and I had to come back to that spot and rewatch it as it was a gut-wrenching moment. The affect was the same every time I watched it. Congratulations on a successful climb, one that very few climbers will attempt. Wonderful scenery too.
Man means a lot, even three years out I'm still very proud of this video! Wasn't easy in any manner... thanks 👍👍, Karl!
My heart skipped a beat too.
At 28:50 my heart skipped a few beats 😶 impressive.
Oh yeah, that is one long, intense, brutal traverse, appreciate the comment!
This is absolutely insane. It takes a special kind of person to be able to do this!
Epic journey for sure! Thanks 👍
In the 80’s when Blanca was white, as the name implies, I glissaded down 1500’ of the snow face during my descent. Part standing and part sitting. Needless to say a snow axe is a must for safety. Undoubtedly, this was the fasted descent of all 54 fourteeners I’ve climbed.
I love trying to descend that way, surely not as skillfully as some, but it is as you say, a quick way down after a hard battle! Thanks for the story! Karl 👍
I had the willies the entire time you were on the ridge. Insane!
Thanks Shawn! So did I for most of it, LoL
amazing video dude!
Appreciate you man 👍
Nice movie!!👍 Geat music selection👍
Thanks my friend! Very appreciative for your kind words! 👍
28:48 On the way to Alamosa as a kid we knew about a plane crash on Mt. Blanca. Supposedly full of toys. We'd look up and dream about all those toys up there. Also coming the other way seeing the Sangro de Christos the most mysterious mountain range. OMG! I can't look! Have I mentioned. You're fearless!
Appreciate your thoughts, interesting story!
They just keep getting better! Thanks for taking us places we would have NEVER made it to on our own.
Epic ridge climb, and remember, the cameraman never dies!
I'll keep that in mind, so far so good 👍
That drone footage is amazing. This is probably above my skill set and my trust in that rock.. congratulations
Thanks Pete! That's one brutal full adventure for sure.
This is incredible. Outstanding editing and overall video. Amazing.
Thank you my friend, it was truly one of my lifetime achievements . Please come check out some others. While they may not be as daring I hope you will find the edits very engaging.
I hiked that road in 1973...and I guess I must have forgotten what a slug it was. I also decided on that trip that I wasn't cut out for climbing fourteeners.
Oh yeah that access road was super rough, and you aren't alone on the 14ers! Thanks 👍
Thanks. Great video. A friend and I did this nearly twenty years ago. Now this scares me just watching this!
Appreciate your comment, you know what it's like up there! To your point, I have had to be more respectful of what my knees tell me already, so that day will come where I have to back off a bit, hopefully not for a few more years! Best, Karl 👍👍
@@KarlDeckerPresents Thanks. I was 57 when I did this and already had one replaced hip. So it wasn't easy! But my time window for doing things like this has passed. Enjoy your remaining years of being able to do this, and keep the videos coming. Milt Strickler
Will do sir! As long as I'm able
Epic hike and ride!
Thanks, probably the most exhausting and fulfilling adventure of my career!
This video is like nothing I have ever seen before. Jaw dropping journey and excellent pro video production. It looks impossible and you captured that it is not!
I am also stunned that this video has less than 1K views. If you have not done already, would be excellent to take the most epic moments in a given hike and put them in a TH-cam short. Guessing you will get an avalanche of viewers.
Thanks so much for the great comment!! Very much appreciated. We actually changed the thumbnail about 2 months ago and this has gone parabolic. Now that we're over 1,000 subs, big growth is coming. The shorts idea is part of the overall plan. Thanks again 👍
Absolutely thrilling! Thanks! The fish eye angles were stunning,
You're certainly welcome! Thanks for the comment Joseph 👍
Here I returned to view the slip at 28:46 and still takes my heart away. Just plain gutsy after that but not much choice but to complete the transverse. Not as many views as I was expecting either. I did see Virtual Sherpa's video before too obviously an excellent resource.
The slip looked much more dramatic than it actually was!! Oh yeah, no way was that going to put a dent in the plan. Interesting you mentioned views. We changed the thumbnail and title 2 years ago and it has been our second best viewed since then, behind Longs . The watch time, more importantly, is #1. Thanks for your support! Karl 👍
This was astounding. Thank you
Thank you! Appreciate your comment 👍
Always love your Drone footage… i love my DJI AIR 2S my wife surprized me with last October for my bday.
Thanks brother! That's always a welcome gift LoL, great piece of equipment
Excellent, EXCELLENT video you got for this trip. As a viewer, I recognize it’s not just the taking of the video, but then the editing and post production that goes in to this final product. Really well done, and you should feel proud of what you created.
For whatever reason, it seems the last several times I’ve watched this traverse it has been from the other direction - Blanca to Little Bear. I know it’s the same ridge but it looks much more gnarly going the other direction.
One comment…I’m guessing you’re very familiar with these peaks, as you’re doing the traverses with one hand. Does that area not get massive wind gusts that would necessitate using both hands to hold on with?
Fab video, again. Love the dialog you offer as you mosey. I’m a solo hiker as well, and not only appreciate the quiet, but I enjoy talking with myself. In all fairness though, that little slip you took at like 28:40 just about necessitated a note on my pacemaker software!
Cheers man.
Mike
Oh PS: have you done Capitol? How does the traverse compare to the knife edge? Also, what brand helmet are you using. I like the way yours fits, better than mine.
Im a Colorado native and very familiar with easy solo rock climbs. I’m super picky about the weather condition I plan to climb in as well but on easier trips. . . For me, can tolerate quite a bit of wind and some rain. . . Never lightening though! Check out my video of Ruby peak to Grays peak, I knew I’d be battling weather on that one and it was incredible. . . I also knew I had a tiny. Window of descent weather, one of my personal favorite videos! Cheers!
@@KarlDeckerPresents perfect! Thanks man.
Great footage Karl!
Wonderful documentation, the views are spectacular. We took the easy way to Blanca decades ago via the Ellingwood saddle, great views of the beautiful Huerfano valley from there. Not sure I would have been up for the exposure of the Little Bear route. Again beautiful video, thanks for posting.
Really glad you enjoyed this one, certainly an incredible combination of beauty, technical and mental aptitude, and a LOT of endurance! Appreciate your comment, Karl 👍!
19:17 yeah this is the spot to be careful. HAHAHAHAH I thought that the whole traverse. Huge balls!
Ya pretty gnarly 😎😎!!
Oh man *sweaty palms
Watching is often worse than doing, so they say Thanks 👍
Made it too far on that road in my 4Runner, had that brutal descent to look forward to after an even more brutal hike
It's a LONG, tough journey FOR SURE. Thanks
close call 28:48!!!
Im very comfortable with climbing and heights etc but this scared the shit outta me, amazing camera work. U make this look too easy and terrifying at the same time.
I get it! I will say the helmet cam, which is a necessity when doing a traverse or climb this sketch, does distort the image some, accentuating the drop-off. That said, it's still not for the faint of heart! Karl 👍
Well done, my palms were sweaty in parts, you do that way more easily than than the vast majority of the human race could. That traverse looked sketch af but you seemed cool and collected throughout.
Yes, thanks, I've had a lot of reps up in those situations, and I'm blessed with no real fear of exposure, but a great deal of respect for it! Thanks for the comment, please share with friends! Best to you, Karl 👍
❤Epic!!❤
Appreciate it! Karl 👍
Karl, which was hairier, the traverse or the bike descent? Epic time in the Mountains both your skills and video. Once I started following you, whenever I miss the Mountains I watch one of your adventures. Thanks for posting absolutely beautiful visual feasts juxtaposed with real life and death moments. I was pleasantly surprised to hear you mention getting past your jitters, made the traverse relatable on a very elemental human level.
I was quite worried about supermanning over the bars on the super steep bike descent, especially since my dropper seat post was limited by the big saddle bag under the seat but, it went very well and I was down happy in under an hour! Thanks Jim, I really try to keep it real. The BS drama is not going to be on my channel but, there have been a few . . .moments! Lately as well, I’m finishing a video right now where we got trapped in a canyon during freezing conditions right at nightfall.
Surely you've won some awards😅
Yes, very gratifying, thanks 👍
Nope, never, ever ... great job!
I get it, trust me! LoL that is rated the most dangerous 14er summit route in Colorado, for very good reason. Sadly, 5 souls perished there in a 6 week period in 2017.
@@KarlDeckerPresents I really appreciate your videos/content. Helping me plan out what else I can do on the 14ers (half way done and 56 years old). I did the Southwest Ridge on Ellingwood ... and that is probably my max exposure.
My palms were sweating.
Understandably! That was a LONG, taxing adventure!
How do you measure hourglass difficulty level?
I felt the Climbing was fairly easy, easy class four but the danger of falling rocks was very high, I did get hit by a rock on that ascent sent from a party above. Luckily, I turned away and it hit my backpack.
Lake Caca.....with all the TP from the 4 wheeler frass
True enough
Something tells me there was an unfortunate series of events here.
you could put a billion dollars on top of that mountain, I am not going up there. be safe, dude.
Get someone to put it up there, let me know, and we'll split it!! 😄 Karl