I started a little before twilight from the Clohesy Lake route. I don't have the car (or the skills) for the road, and I'd have to get up on my own at some point so I parked right off the main route and walked it. I'd forgotten my headlamp, but since I was camping the previous night I'd gone down and investigated. Looked like a ford might be necessary, but I'd dragged up some driftwood and laid it across the stream figuring if it was still there in the morning, I'd have a shot. Turns out: I did! The first crossing was doable with low-cut waterproof boots, plus the log, and the second crossing (just a few 100 feet beyond) was a simple rock hop. That accomplished, I followed the road to where it turned to trail, and the trail all the way up to the top of the valley (bypassing the Missouri Mountain cut-off). There I found a very impressive, very tough looking face of loose scree and dirt. Good views looking SW at the saddle though.

There's not much to be said about the ascent. It's hard work and I didn't see any great paths up the slopes that avoided the really loose stuff. But eventually I hit the ridge, and that ended the worst bit of the day.

I got to the top and was rewards with truly excellent views.

From there I headed down and up to Iowa. There's a use trail down most of Emerald and then Iowa is a pleasant, grassy stroll.

After Iowa I continued onto Missouri. The use trail between the two is really quite good. Steep, but no surface difficulties.

I summitted Missouri and had some food. Now it was time for the standard route.

I'll spare the detail for Missouri to Belford and Oxford. Just the standard route all the way over.

At Oxford I paused for a while before leaving the standards route again. There was a good view of the Willow Fire to the north: the smoke hadn't made it this way yet but would later and make the exertion very rough for little old me.

From here the route is not overly complex. Just continue east on the ridge. I made a brief stop at "Mount Oxford - East Peak" (a minor boulder field with some light class 3, named from Peakbagger.com). but mostly just followed the ridge. The final peak of the day was Waverly. The views weren't as good as the smoke had begun to move in, but the walking was enjoyable the whole way there.

More on the ridge, finding an abandoned trail partway down, and then leaving it again as I hit treeline. There was a nice little interlude with some Elk just above the trees.

The drop down to the Colorado Trail required a lot of serpentining to avoid downfall and some brush, but the actual walking was mostly open floor. And then the Colorado Trail all the way to the campground. The campground is currently closed. I think technically closed for construction but it was being used as a firefighting camp. However, the trail is open and I'd left my bike on the other side of Clear Creek. I rode my bike back to my car to close the loop (one could try hitchhiking too, though a lot fewer cars going in than out that time of day).

I didn't like the dense smoke that really moved in around when I was hitting the Colorado Trail, and the climb up the south face of Emerald was not my favorite. However, the long walk up the valley at the beginning of the day, and the rest of the time spent mostly on ridges with views all over was really fantastic. A pretty solid loop overall.