Needed to climb again today. Figured that would be a good way to build on yesterday’s 20 mile Hope Pass double. So what to do? I quickly decided to go pick off Missouri Mountain. I had been up in Missouri Gulch before to do Belford and Oxford. So it seemed to be a good choice as its close and somewhat familiar. The dogs and I were awoken by the Silver Rush 50 starting up about a mile from the house at 6 AM. Loud PA system. I just smiled as I was not in that race today. So the dogs and I headed back down south near Winfield to get our day going.

We moved up through the forest really good. I was using poles again. We were overtaking the hikers 1×1. Gave me something to focus on. Like it was a race. Once above treeline, the dogs were out roaming everywhere. They think its a giant playground.

The route is easy to follow. We came to the Belford turnoff and proceeded to the pass on the right as instructed. We kept going deeper into the valley and I knew eventually we really needed to cut West and start going straight up. It was about 5.5 miles to the top but it didn’t get going vertical until about mile 4. That’s the summit just to the center then right at the top. But to get up you go way to the back of the valley then zig zag back up the right hand side in the photo.

Crossed a snow field that the dogs were going ape shit in. People were stopping and watching them. They just run around with no concern about rolling down a 14er. But honestly, they seem to have super grip. I was at 2 hours on the clock by this ridge. I had hoped to summit in 2 but it was a tad further than I thought. The summit is way down there at the end of the ridge.

A few more minutes down and a few little trickier sections and we could see the people standing on the summit.

I hit my watch at the summit and threw down my poles. I was spent. That was good work getting up their quickly. Chatted with folks who left before sunrise. I was in bed. Its fun to feel like you have a super power.

A marker. Seemingly rare these days.

Random shot southward. Lots more Sawatch down that way to keep me busy.

Lizzy finally posed for a summit picture. Ozzy was busy looking for a pika that was making noises. I started getting nervous that he was going to go down the wrong side looking for it.

Selfie. I was there.

Time to descend. Back over the ridge. You can kind of see this little narly looking section just ahead. It wasn’t anything scary once you figured out the route.

I snapped this just off the summit. Kind of shows the way back out. You can see the trail through the valley. So you follow the ridge, then zig back towards the camera, then zag back into the valley. Then the car is down there in that dark patch below on the road — which leads to Winfield.

The best part of climbs? The mountain streams. The dogs get wet and play at everyone. Its always break time for a minute. Looks tempting.

Glad to finally knock another unique 14er off my list. I need to keep venturing to new places instead of old ones more often.