San Isabel National Forest
Missouri Mountain

Missouri Mountain is another 14er in the Sawatch. It is part of the "Belford Group" (Missouri Mountain, Mt. Belford, Mt, Oxford). While a lot of folks climb Mt. Belford and Mt. Oxford one after the other, Missouri Mountain is different: it's harder than the other two and takes longer to get up on the summit ridge. But it's a 14er: that means climbing traffic all year round. All 3 peaks are easily accessible from the Missouri Gulch Trailhead.

Elevations:

• Trail beginning: 9,640' (at Missouri Gulch Trailhead)
• High Point: 14,067'
• Trail ending: 14,067'

Access: Take Chaffee County Road 390 west from US 24 for 7.7 miles to Vicksburg. The trailhead is across the road (on the south side) from Vicksburg.

Notes: From the Missouri Gulch Trailhead it's a 10 mile round trip to the summit of Missouri Mountain. First, cross the bridge over Clear Creek and then head up several good switchbacks into Missouri Gulch proper. Stay on the well-maintained Missouri Gulch Trail to about 12,600' where the trail turns easterly toward Elkhead Pass. Turn west and climb the grassy slope to a saddle on Missouri's northwest ridge at 13,700'. Go south over Point 13,930 and then southeast for about 1/2 mile to the summit of Missouri Mountain. Along the way you'll come to some granite towers on the ridge, stay to the west and they're easy to get by.

If you're up to it, down that south ridge of Missouri is Iowa Peak (13,831') and Emerald Peak (13,904'), two more of Colorado's 100 highest peaks.

USGS Maps: Mt. Harvard, Winfield