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PEAKS: Missouri Mountain, Mt. Oxford, & Mt. Belford ROUTE: Rockdale Trailhead to Mt. Oxford LENGTH: 13 Miles ELEVATION GAIN: 7000' Total Gain CLASS: Class 1 with some Class 2 DIFFICULTY: 8/10 TIME: 8 loooooooong hours
Saw a report that dillonsarnelli put up a couple of days ago about doing Missouri, Belford, and Oxford all in the same day, and it just looked to good not to try for myself
Here's the route we took After 2 years of college... I realize I can't make a map. But here's the route we took. Thanks for the image Mr. Sarn
Stats: 1) Rockdale to Missouri - 2.5 Miles, 3,200' elevation gain, 2h 6m hike time 2) Missouri to Elkhead Pass - 1 Mile, 600' elevation gain, 1.5h hike time 3) Elkhead Pass to Oxford - 1 Mile, 400' elevation gain, 1h 25m hike time 4) Oxford to Belford - 1.25 Miles, 600' elevation gain, 45m hike time 5) Belford to Missouri Trail via Elkhead Pass - 1.5 Miles, 0' elevation gain, 30m hike time 6) Missouri Trail to Rockdale - 2.75 miles, 1200' elevation gain, 1h 50m hike time
Brandon, Ben, and I left Golden at about 2:00AM on Friday morning, and got to the trailhead and started hiking at 6. It took us forever to find the actual Rockdale road. We weren't even sure we were on it until we could see Missouri
1) Rockdale to Missouri - 2.5 Miles, 3,200' elevation gain, 2h 6m hike time
Brandon at the Rockdale Gate
The trail starts meandering up a ridge to the East while following Clohesy Lake. We got a few glimpses of the moon
Looking over towards Huron
Moon just stickin up a little bit with Clohesy Lake
Right after the trail went by a nice waterfall, it started to make its up way up a large grassy hill. We followed cairns as long as we could, but we couldn't see any real trail up this. Some minor league bushwackin was needed here
Cairn right by the "trail"
The trail-less hill
After we got up the hill, the trail started making its way along the Missouri Ridge
Ridge that leads to Missouri
Felt good. Too dumb to think about trip back
To Missouri
Along the ridge of Missouri looking to the Southwest
And finally, we made it to Missouri!
Summit of Missouri with the trail of the traverse we made for our way to Elkhead Pass
Brandon's 13th 14er of the Summer
Missouri was a nice 18th for me
2) Missouri to Elkhead Pass - 1 Mile, 600' elevation gain, 1.5h hike time
From the Missouri Summit, we planned on traversing across the Missouri Mountain's South Ridge along a trail. Unfortunately, we never found one and had to skree walk/run/fall across the face to Elkhead
On our traverse to Elkhead
"Harvester of Sorrow" Traverse
Working our way to the top of Elkhead Pass
3) Elkhead Pass to Oxford - 1 Mile, 400' elevation gain, 1h 25m hike
time
After getting to the top of Elkhead Pass, we started our trek up the Pass towards Belford/Oxford. This part of the trail is quite tame and makes for easy/quick hiking
The trail to Oxford and back
Hiking down and up to Oxford wasn't too shabby
Oxford for the 19th
Brandon classily enjoying his Golden 14er on Oxford while peering off towards Harvard
Summit security
After spending our lunch with a pair of lovely Colorado ladies, we preceded back to Belford. It was rough knowing we were only half way done with our hike at this point. Moral was getting low. Quick
4) Oxford to Belford - 1.25 Miles, 600' elevation gain, 45m hike time
Trail back to Belford/Missouri/Elkhead Pass
Belford and all it's happy inhabitants
Summit of Belford
Shoe of choice. I'm sorry to upset the "Ankle-Support" community
5) Belford to Missouri Trail via Elkhead Pass - 1.5 Miles, 0' elevation gain, 30m hike time
Missouri
6) Missouri Trail to Rockdale - 2.75 miles, 1200' elevation gain, 1h 50m hike time
Clohesy Lake with clouds building up on our way back
We finally made it back to my Xterra at about 4:30. Loooooong day. It was really nice being able to summit multiple tough 14ers in one day. Definitely not for the faint of heart, and make sure to start early. We go pretty fast, but it took us over 8 hours of hiking to complete this bad boy
Let me know if you have any questions on the route!
Stay Thirsty My Friends
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
haha - well done! good to know people read my TR's! it was a long beastly haul for sure man. I don't think your giving yourself full credit for the mileage and gain though in those stats. definitely a long day. you have any problems getting up that road?
I knew there had to be something wrong with that. only 10 miles? It was way longer than that. I didn't have my Gerry Roach book when I was doing the report so I was just using 14ers and Google Earth for the stats. Definitely a bogus idea lol
And we cruised up in my 2002 Nissan Xterra. That road up was awesomeeeeee - probably the second most technical driving I've done; only behind Lake Como Road
If you're ever up for this haul again in the future, let me know. Looks like a fun (if long) hike!
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