Missouri Mountain Trip Report 05/10/2011

Peak(s):	Missouri Mountain - 14,071 feet
Date Posted:	05/10/2011
Modified:	05/16/2011
Date Climbed:	05/07/2011
Author:	Gueza

Missouri Gulch Peak Skis
Routes: MO via the C couloir, Belford via NW gully, Oxford from Belford. Total Mileage:20 Miles with 10,300 vertical in 2 days Conditons: MO: Plenty of snow for some good clean family fun-summit ski with corn, pow, and crust as the main dish and some sastrugi for a side Belford: NW gully is skiable within about 200-300 feet of the summit Oxford: Able to ski within 50 feet of summit almost all the way to the saddle Approach: Skinning possible about half a mile up the trail, icy and a post-holed nightmare for skiers. Slush fest for the descent The crew: MO- hberry(Mike) skier, Otina-skier, Co Buckey (Jason) skier, Moonstalker (Kelly) snowshoer. Tmathews (Terry) and Dmccool (Dan) caught up with us as our ski boots slowed us down with the ardous boot packing. After a really long week in school, Dan (Dmccool) and I left Co Springs en route to the Missouri Gulch area Friday evening for the gathering. We met many familiar and new faces and discussed plans for the weekend. With high temperatures in the forecast for tommorow, we did not want to mess around with potential wet snow problems. Big groups tend to increase time spent on a mountain so the start time for skiers was to be 3am. The Approach up the first part of MO Gulch is less than inviting, I opted to make efficient skinning out of it while others bootpacked. It was warm enough that I skinned up in a T-Shirt to treeline where the wind picked up. The Crew A first view of MO Time to pack up the skins The trail breaking goes on Kell and Terry Topping out on the ridge The summit ski is in. Then an exciting traverse on snow... Terry blazin across Otina a few feet shy of the summit Dan almost to the summit happy with his full body suite he payed 20 bucks for Ever ever ever ever est est est est... Some other people had brought their pooch. Probably the coolest dog I have met. Jason enjoying the views before the descent This was my 10th 14er ski descent, with Belford and Oxford the following day being 11th and 12th. I got no pictures of the descent, but a crappy Go Pro video of it. Otina got a few. This was my first time using a Go Pro cam and the screw to keep it from tilting loosend a little. Still got some good footage. The snow stayed cool and in our comfort zones. Our only concern was a shallow 3-4 inch wind slab that we discovered on our ascent. It varied form gully to gully, we dug a pit, a few ski cuts were made and we were off. Mike. Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Missouri Gulch Peak Skis Video Clips

Routes: MO via the C couloir, Belford via NW gully, Oxford from Belford.
Total Mileage:20 Miles with 10,300 vertical in 2 days
Conditons: MO: Plenty of snow for some good clean family fun-summit ski with corn, pow, and crust as the main dish and some sastrugi for a side
Belford: NW gully is skiable within about 200-300 feet of the summit
Oxford: Able to ski within 50 feet of summit almost all the way to the saddle Approach: Skinning possible about half a mile up the trail, icy and a post-holed nightmare for skiers. Slush fest for the descent
The crew: MO- hberry(Mike) skier, Otina-skier, Co Buckey (Jason) skier, Moonstalker (Kelly) snowshoer. Tmathews (Terry) and Dmccool (Dan) caught up with us as our ski boots slowed us down with the ardous boot packing.
After a really long week in school, Dan (Dmccool) and I left Co Springs en route to the Missouri Gulch area Friday evening for the gathering. We met many familiar and new faces and discussed plans for the weekend. With high temperatures in the forecast for tommorow, we did not want to mess around with potential wet snow problems. Big groups tend to increase time spent on a mountain so the start time for skiers was to be 3am. The Approach up the first part of MO Gulch is less than inviting, I opted to make efficient skinning out of it while others bootpacked. It was warm enough that I skinned up in a T-Shirt to treeline where the wind picked up.

A first view of MO

Time to pack up the skins

Dan almost to the summit happy with his full body suite he payed 20 bucks for Ever ever ever ever est est est est...

Some other people had brought their pooch. Probably the coolest dog I have met.

Jason enjoying the views before the descent

This was my 10th 14er ski descent, with Belford and Oxford the following day being 11th and 12th.
I got no pictures of the descent, but a crappy Go Pro video of it. Otina got a few. This was my first time using a Go Pro cam and the screw to keep it from tilting loosend a little. Still got some good footage. The snow stayed cool and in our comfort zones. Our only concern was a shallow 3-4 inch wind slab that we discovered on our ascent. It varied form gully to gully, we dug a pit, a few ski cuts were made and we were off.
Mike.

Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):

Comments or Questions

bergsteigen	A Sweet ski! 05/11/2011 15:40 That sure was fun! Sorry I had to miss Sunday, but I was actually a bit sick most of the night and morning. Stupid gluten I have some good pics (and my video) of the ski down on my site if you want to add some more: Got a few good ones of you jump turning
SurfNTurf	Congrats 05/11/2011 20:55 On getting three more ski descents, Eric. And thanks for the cheeseburgers!
COBuckeye	Thanks... 05/11/2011 22:42 for letting me tag along last minute. This was a great climb and ski and it was awesome to meet some new people in the process. Hopefully we can hook-up again for another adventure.
dmccool	Nice report, Eric 05/11/2011 23:57 I guess I should have sent you all the pics from Bel/Ox. Sorry about that. If anyone needs beta for those peaks, let me know. Or, if you would just like more up-close-and-personal pics of ”The Suit”, I can provide those, too.
hberry	Sweet 05/13/2011 05:42 Nice trip report Eric. It was nice to hike and ski with you even if it took us forever. Its nice to see someone young with good goals and ambitions. I look forward to bagging some San Juan action with you.
globreal	Sking the 14ers... 05/25/2011 23:39 has become your new thing, eh? Way to get 'em skied! You'll get them done in short order I'm sure. Just like when you climbed them. Way to go on 3 more!
Gueza	... 03/04/2012 18:31 Nice pics Otina, alot better than mine. I'll add some of those later. Thanks for a great day guys!

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