| Peak(s): |
Mt. Belford - 14,202 feet Mt. Oxford - 14,158 feet |
| Date Posted: | 09/02/2006 |
| Modified: | 09/06/2006 |
| Date Climbed: | 08/31/2006 |
| Author: | rockymtnhigh69 |
| Peak(s): |
Mt. Belford - 14,202 feet Mt. Oxford - 14,158 feet |
| Date Posted: | 09/02/2006 |
| Modified: | 09/06/2006 |
| Date Climbed: | 08/31/2006 |
| Author: | rockymtnhigh69 |
| Belford/Oxford combo |
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Started my climb at 520 am at the Missouri Gulch TH.. The trail crosses Clear Creek and starts to climb pretty rapidly.. A great trail with lots of switchbacks and your heart rate starts to get going immediately.. Find yourself winding through the forest up probably the nicest trail in the Sawatch. The CFI has done a wonderful job.. The second bridge is a log bridge and is quite wobbly when crossing due to the logs I guess getting old.. Just before timberline heading into Missouri Gulch basin, there is an old cabin that greets you...  Once you get to the basin, you are treated to a beautiful head on view of Missouri and Belford to the left.. It is very nice but clues you in to the challenge ahead..  The trail forks a little ways up and you are to take the Belford CFI trail to the left.. This trail is great.. Lots of nice rock work and trail maintenance done by the CFI.. They are a great organization.. At times because of all the switchbacks, it seems like youre not getting anywhere but you are and it becomes apparent with the elevation you are gaining...  Before you know it you're on the last shoulder of Belford with a great view of Missouri to the right.. The trail is well defined all the way to the summit. I reached the summit at 7.45 I found an REI waterbottle at the summit with the register, but no medallion.  There was already a storm building over near La Plata Peak so I didnt stay on Belford for long and headed for the saddle over to Oxford..   It took me a little under an hour to get over to Oxford.. The saddle is steep for a short time off of Belford.. That storm had now blown past Elbert and was heading SE.. WHEW! Jeter my lab and I sat on Oxford for our lunch and enjoyed the views of Harvard, Yale and Princeton off in the distance.. The three Apostles were magnificent.. I stayed on Oxford for quite some time as it was very enjoyable.. I was very proud of my pooch.. It was his 9th fourteener summit and his is only 2 1/2 years old.. He loves doing the easier class 2 routes with me..  Oxford has no register, but it does have a medallion.  The saddle back over to Belford was a little more difficult as it is steep climbing back up to Belford's ridge..  The climb down to Missouri Gulch basin and out to the car was a quick one and I made it back to the car at 12.30 pm..  The trail was great and my climb for the day was perfect.. I made it back to the car just in time as the rain and ligtning had just started to kick up... All in all a great day.. I highly recommend this climb.. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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