Peak Condition Update | Missouri Mountain

Peak:	Missouri Mountain
Route:	Northwest Ridge
Range:	Sawatch
Posted By:	jguerin211
Date of Info:	11/28/2015
Date Posted:	11/29/2015

Details
390 only had a couple inches of snow up until the ranch (4 miles below the TH). After that there was between 8 and 12 inches that my Forrester and I had to deal with. I only spun out a couple times on an uphill so it wasn't too bad. Someone had driven the road before me so I was able to ride in their tracks. AWD and high clearance are highly recommended though. I also had some trouble getting out of the parking lot at the TH but fortunately had a lot of room to work with as I was the only one there. The hike up to the old shack had about a foot of snow. I used snowshoes for this part going uphill and microspikes on the downhill and was fine. With snowshoes on, the only tough part of the uphill was the steepness. The path was very well defined considering the recent storm and the snow was manageable. Breaking out of the treeline though was a different story. I had no idea where the trail was and I often found myself in snowdrifts between 2 and 4 feet. That really sucks especially when the snow is that light fluffy type that your snowshoes just sink right through. Long story short I put in enough energy to have climbed a 14er that day, but I turned around at 12,000. It was exhausting winding back and forth trying to find the trail and simultaneously avoid deep snow drifts. If you do attempt Missouri in the next few days be prepared for the deep snow! Another heads up - on my way down I did spot some animal tracks alongside mine. From my two minutes of research my best guess is bobcat or coyote based on the size. One of the dead trees alongside the trail had had the fresh snow brushed from it recently too with the animal's tracks all around it. Be careful!

Details

390 only had a couple inches of snow up until the ranch (4 miles below the TH). After that there was between 8 and 12 inches that my Forrester and I had to deal with. I only spun out a couple times on an uphill so it wasn't too bad. Someone had driven the road before me so I was able to ride in their tracks.

AWD and high clearance are highly recommended though. I also had some trouble getting out of the parking lot at the TH but fortunately had a lot of room to work with as I was the only one there.

The hike up to the old shack had about a foot of snow. I used snowshoes for this part going uphill and microspikes on the downhill and was fine. With snowshoes on, the only tough part of the uphill was the steepness. The path was very well defined considering the recent storm and the snow was manageable.

Breaking out of the treeline though was a different story. I had no idea where the trail was and I often found myself in snowdrifts between 2 and 4 feet. That really sucks especially when the snow is that light fluffy type that your snowshoes just sink right through.

Long story short I put in enough energy to have climbed a 14er that day, but I turned around at 12,000. It was exhausting winding back and forth trying to find the trail and simultaneously avoid deep snow drifts.

If you do attempt Missouri in the next few days be prepared for the deep snow!

Another heads up - on my way down I did spot some animal tracks alongside mine. From my two minutes of research my best guess is bobcat or coyote based on the size. One of the dead trees alongside the trail had had the fresh snow brushed from it recently too with the animal's tracks all around it.

Be careful!

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