Missouri Mountain Trip Report 06/01/2014

Report Type	Full
Peak(s)	Missouri Mountain - 14,071 feet
Date Posted	06/01/2014
Modified	06/02/2014
Date Climbed	05/31/2014
Author	Somewhat of a Prick
Additional Members	jmanner, eyost11, AeroDan

2 Skiers, 1 Brokeass
"Y" couloir time! John, Dan, and I met up at the Missouri Gulch trailhead at 3:30, and were moving by 4AM on the dot. Time flew by on the switchbacks and the trees, mainly due to John and Dan making fun of me for 45 minutes straight. Me taking a break to shed some tears on the switchbacks...as you can see they are snow free. There was a good amount of snow in the basin, however an early start negated a lot of postholing. We punched threw a few times, but not enough to where we put on our flotation. Some alpenglow as we broke treeline John and Dan making their way towards Missouri John enjoying the approach Once near the base of the Couloir we donned our crampons and began our trek upwards. We ran into a couple other guys that were headed up the same Couloir, I remember one of their names was Eddie, but I have the memory of a goldfish and forgot the other They were great company from the base of the couloir all the way to the summit, they seemed to enjoy the three of us making fun of one another. Dan and I headed towards the Couloir Dan starting up Eddie and his friend Headed up the couloir, we were staying either just in the shade, or right where the sun was starting to hit. The stuff that had been baking for an hour or two, farther to our right, was extremely soft and there were some big snowballs that had formed and rolled down so we stayed closer to the cliffs on the firmer stuff. Video highlights of the "Y" Couloir ascent Me on top of the couloir John topping out Once on top of the Couloir, the summit was maybe 50 yards to our right. We came up one by one, a few minutes apart and slowly congregated on the summit. There was already a party taking place up there though as you can see... We ran into Jeff, Matt, and their crew on the summit and had a good time joking around and taking in the views: Me, John, Dan After some jokes, snacks, and laughs, we followed Jeff's crew down the "C" couloir. John was fumbling with his helmet, dropped it, and the five of us left on the summit had a great time watching it bounce and roll all the way down to the basin, pretty much right where Jeff and his group were standing to watch our descent. I would have loved to hear their comments as a helmet came rolling up to their feet. Myself, Eddie, and his friend all glissaded down. It was good snow for glissading, not too firm but not quite concrete mix. Headed towards the "C" couloir John and Dan waited a bit and then began their descent for the audience waiting for them. John spraying us Dan finishing his ski A couple pics of the our groups together after the descent At this point the clouds started to build and there was some thunder and snow/rain We decided to bail out instead of going for Oxford and Belford via Elkhead at this point. It was a great day, nobody was disappointed in this decision. This was the point in the day where I felt like a loser with my snowshoes. John and Dan blasted their way through the basin with their ski's, taking time out to wave and make fun of me of course. AH HA WE CLIMBED THAT On the descent back to the cars our group and a couple of other groups from the 14ers.com spring gathering all met up and headed down together. There was maybe 10-12 of us and we had a great time joking around all the way to the cars, time flew by. We reached the parking lot around noon, for a 9 hour round trip for us. The weather at the TH was amazing Party time Overall one of my best day's I've ever had in the mountains. Great people, great conditions, great route.

2 Skiers, 1 Brokeass

"Y" couloir time!

John, Dan, and I met up at the Missouri Gulch trailhead at 3:30, and were moving by 4AM on the dot. Time flew by on the switchbacks and the trees, mainly due to John and Dan making fun of me for 45 minutes straight.

Me taking a break to shed some tears on the switchbacks...as you can see they are snow free.

There was a good amount of snow in the basin, however an early start negated a lot of postholing. We punched threw a few times, but not enough to where we put on our flotation.

Some alpenglow as we broke treeline

John and Dan making their way towards Missouri

John enjoying the approach

Once near the base of the Couloir we donned our crampons and began our trek upwards. We ran into a couple other guys that were headed up the same Couloir, I remember one of their names was Eddie, but I have the memory of a goldfish and forgot the other

They were great company from the base of the couloir all the way to the summit, they seemed to enjoy the three of us making fun of one another.

Dan and I headed towards the Couloir

Dan starting up

Eddie and his friend

Headed up the couloir, we were staying either just in the shade, or right where the sun was starting to hit. The stuff that had been baking for an hour or two, farther to our right, was extremely soft and there were some big snowballs that had formed and rolled down so we stayed closer to the cliffs on the firmer stuff.

Video highlights of the "Y" Couloir ascent

Me on top of the couloir

John topping out

Once on top of the Couloir, the summit was maybe 50 yards to our right. We came up one by one, a few minutes apart and slowly congregated on the summit. There was already a party taking place up there though as you can see...

We ran into Jeff, Matt, and their crew on the summit and had a good time joking around and taking in the views:

Me, John, Dan

After some jokes, snacks, and laughs, we followed Jeff's crew down the "C" couloir. John was fumbling with his helmet, dropped it, and the five of us left on the summit had a great time watching it bounce and roll all the way down to the basin, pretty much right where Jeff and his group were standing to watch our descent. I would have loved to hear their comments as a helmet came rolling up to their feet.

Myself, Eddie, and his friend all glissaded down. It was good snow for glissading, not too firm but not quite concrete mix.

Headed towards the "C" couloir

John and Dan waited a bit and then began their descent for the audience waiting for them.

John spraying us

Dan finishing his ski

A couple pics of the our groups together after the descent

At this point the clouds started to build and there was some thunder and snow/rain

We decided to bail out instead of going for Oxford and Belford via Elkhead at this point. It was a great day, nobody was disappointed in this decision. This was the point in the day where I felt like a loser with my snowshoes. John and Dan blasted their way through the basin with their ski's, taking time out to wave and make fun of me of course.

AH HA WE CLIMBED THAT

On the descent back to the cars our group and a couple of other groups from the 14ers.com spring gathering all met up and headed down together. There was maybe 10-12 of us and we had a great time joking around all the way to the cars, time flew by. We reached the parking lot around noon, for a 9 hour round trip for us.

The weather at the TH was amazing

Party time

Overall one of my best day's I've ever had in the mountains. Great people, great conditions, great route.

Comments or Questions

jmanner	my spray... 6/1/2014 10:53pm was a complete failure. :oops:
esagas	MIA items 6/2/2014 12:35am It was bewildering to us to see a helmet just sitting at the bottom of the couloir and wondering--since we didn't see it roll down--who was the idiot that dropped it. Lo and behold, our question was answered in a matter of minutes. :D It was an awesome climb and so much fun to meet your guys! Ernesto
eyost11	3 Great Guys 6/2/2014 2:33am Thanks for including me (Eddie) in the TR and for keeping me thoroughly entertained on a stellar trip up the couloir. I look forward to seeing you guys on a mountain again.
Mike Shepherd	the firmer stuff 6/2/2014 4:51am looks like the 'firmer stuff' was front pointing only.
jmanner	Front pointing 6/2/2014 2:27pm Yea, it was bullet-proof crap that sucked the energy right out of you and didn't get you much in the way of ax purchase.
SurfNTurf	Great day 6/2/2014 2:38pm Nice hanging out with you guys on the summit and during the descent. I hope the plans you said you had for Sunday went as well as Saturday's, haha.
jmanner	haha 6/2/2014 3:35pm ”I hope the plans you said you had for Sunday went as well as Saturday's” Whatever! So, I always underestimate my climb times and my endurance. :roll:
Somewhat of a Prick	Sunday 6/2/2014 4:02pm Was excellent. Not quite as good as Saturday, but I can't complain. :D
--bb--	Looks super fun! 6/2/2014 4:50pm nice report. curious - what elevation did the continuous snow start at?
jmanner	snow... 6/2/2014 5:15pm 11,800ish you could ski lower if you are judicious about following the creek.
--bb--	gracias 6/2/2014 9:12pm thanks, jmanner!
AeroDan	Party pic 6/3/2014 12:46am Good to see ya included the pic of John skiing the top and the party pic. Thanks for the video too! Solid day brutha!

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