| Report Type | Full |
| Peak(s) |
Missouri Mountain - 14,071 feet Mt. Oxford - 14,158 feet Mt. Belford - 14,202 feet Iowa Peak - 13,840 feet |
| Date Posted | 01/05/2026 |
| Date Climbed | 12/30/2023 |
| Author | Anima |
| Additional Members | shepherdkyle |
| When It Used to Snow |
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Missouri, Belford, and Oxford in Winter
This report does not reflect current conditions on these peaks and is from a trip in late December of 2023. 
With an excellent weather forecast, Kyle and I found ourselves driving down Chaffee County Road 390 toward the Missouri Gulch trailhead. Since it was early in the winter season we thought we might be able to get Missouri, Belford, and Oxford in a day. We planned to attempt Missouri from the east, hoping to find our way up a windswept rib and forgo the west ridge that would add considerable mileage when attempting all three peaks in a day. This is usually only possible in the early season when snow has yet to completely engulf the east side of Missouri.
The alarm went off at 4 am. Stepping out into the cold stole any vestige of comfort we had found in our sleeping bags. Soon after we were walking up the well-packed trail into Missouri Gulch. Near sunrise we reached the junction for Belford's Northwest ridge where the trench ended. We continued past the junction following a single set of tracks. With a bit of finesse and a disdain for snowshoes, we worked our way further south into Missouri Gulch in only our boots. However, with plans to cross the upper reaches of Pine Creek later in the day, we kept our snowshoes with us and carried them up and over Missouri.
Looking west, we found a steep but pleasant wind-swept rib that took us to the north(west) ridge of Missouri far north of where the standard summer route gains the ridge. Pleased with our findings, we made our way up the rib and were greeted with wonderful views of all the peaks to the west.
From where we gained the ridge, it was nearly a 1.5 miles to the summit of Missouri. The ridge was pleasant and only required a bit of scrambling close to the top. At 10:00 am we realized the first of our summits for the day.
Although the day was young, our ambition shortened our stay on the summit of Missouri. We quickly set off down the southwest ridge toward Iowa Peak. Without being able to see the south slopes in between Missouri and Iowa along with their potential avalanche danger, we chose to make our way over the summit of Iowa and descend into the upper reaches of Pine Creek via the mild southwest slopes.
Our plan worked well and we were soon headed northeast toward Elkhead pass. The snow was hard at first but eventually softened, forcing us to put on our snowshoes.
Once below the pass, we chose to go one at a time over some potential avalanche slopes. Although we could have avoided this area all together using some steep scree slopes further east, the avalanche danger was low and we found the risk to be acceptable. At 1:40 pm, we made it to the top of Elkhead pass.
At this point, Kyle was beginning to realize the major design flaws of the new La Sportiva G2 Evo. Only later that night when he took is boot off and is sock was covered in blood would I realize how bad it was. Although our pace slowed, Kyle complained little and we made our way up the west slopes of Belford.
Just before the summit of Belford we took off east toward Oxford. Our progress continued to be slow but by 4:00pm we were on the summit looking west at Missouri which seemed rather far away. On our way back we enjoyed watching the sunset from 14,000ft and summited Belford in complete darkness. Satisfied with our labors, we started down the northwest slopes. Neither of us enjoyed the decent. Somehow both of my headlamps died and too stubborn to ask Kyle for his extra or find the batteries in my backpack, I followed him down engulfed in blackness. Far off we could see the lights of Leadville. Slipping on some ice a few times made me decide I would buy a third headlamp—one that didn't seem to die so quickly and didn't require $10 batteries. At one point, in my rage against the ice and darkness (and perhaps fatigue) I put down (or perhaps threw) one of my empty water bottles too hard and broke it, At which point kyle volunteered his extra headlamp. (Thanks Kyle!).
By 6:30 pm we were back at the Belford-Missouri split and Kyle's feet had realized agony of the highest order. On our way down we discoursed the boots and how La Sportiva ruined the new version (I have the very comfortable originals). By 8:00 pm we made it back to the car where Kyle revealed his blood soaked socks. It took weeks for his toes to heal, but perhaps three winter 14ers and a winter 13er were worth it.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow): 
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