.

Member Trip Report

MEETINGS & ACTIVITIES    trip menu    search   calendar

TOP ROPING
SCHOOL ROOM BOARD ROOM WHITE ROCK CRAGS
GREAT LINKS BECOME A MEMBER DISCLAIMER
SWAP MEET LAM HISTORY INDEX NACLASSICS
TRIP ARCHIVE DOWNLOADS CLIMBING NEWS & FORUM

Mt Oxford, Mt. Belford, Mt. Missouri
Colorado 14ers
 
9/13-14/97

Author: Gary Clark

Participants: Lynn & Gary Clark

We did the Friday night Commute to Colorado, staying in our traditional camping spot at Poncha Pass. Saturday morning we went to the Missouri Gulch Trailhead (described in all the guides), and began our hike fairly late (~8:30). We carried a camp to the basin below Mt. Missouri at about 12,500', then went straight up the flanks of Mt. Belford. This is at least another mile up the Missouri Gulch trail from whence the Normal Belford trail takes off. The mountain can be climbed from any direction, so this was just as easy as using the trail. We summitted around noon, then did a butt-busting traverse across the saddle to Mt. Oxford and back while watching a rapidly-approaching thunder storm from the South. We descended to Elkhead pass just to see something different, and arrived back at our camp mid-afternoon. This is a tiring day.

Next day we did the comparatively easy ascent via the NW ridge of Mt. Missouri, hiked down, and drove back to Los Alamos.

Trying to do all three in a day would be hideous (over 7500' gain, 10+ miles). So ours is a recommended strategy, as well as time of year. The aspen were in full glory. We'll return to one of the snow couloirs on Missouri's N. Face earlier in the season - they were too far gone in mid-Sept.

 


Send your trip reports, comments, updates, and suggestions about this site to
Jan Studebaker

Website Design by Jemez Web Factory
.