Sunday, September 17, 1989: Missouri Mountain (partial)

By Alan Silverstein

I took off for a Fall weekend road trip with my friend Sherry Perkins. We had a very enjoyable time hiking near Loveland Pass and climbing most of Missouri Mountain, despite not reaching the summit. Famous author Walter Borneman, and his friends Hal and Jay, were our companions on Missouri. It was a fund raising hike, part of a plan to put climbers on every Colorado Fourteener that day.

Sherry and I left Fort Collins around 1300 Saturday. That was later than we expected to be on the road. Unfortunately, the cost of having fun and taking your time is that it takes time (surprise). Anyway, we stopped into Beau Jo's pizza in Idaho Springs, the first visit for either of us. It was great.

Up at Loveland Pass (11990'), rather late in the day, we did about 900' of uphill walking on a trail east to a 12915' point south of Mount Sniktau, 1655-1745. It was a wonderful bit of ex- ercise and the view from the high point was pretty. There were tenuous ice crystal clouds around the low sun. Fresh snow lay on the surrounding peaks, including the Mosquito Range Fourteeners and nearby Grays and Torreys. We descended in a rapid 17 minutes and we were back at the pass by 1820, less than an hour before sunset. I wish we'd had more time to explore further. It even appears Grays and Torreys would be reachable from there with a little up and down traversing.

We paused in Leadville for dessert, and continued in the dark past Granite and up the dirt road 8 miles west to Vicksburg. We camped for the night near Sherry's car at the Oxford/Belford/Missouri trailhead (9670'). It was a cold night under a bright moon just past full.

Sunday morning Walter and friends arrived at 0700, soon after sunrise. We started up the trail at 0715 and they set a steady, brisk pace. The route crosses Clear Creek on a bridge, then climbs fast up a good trail with switchbacks, south into Missouri Gulch. After a mile it levels somewhat, but there are more uphill sections into the upper basin. It passes the boring, rounded slopes of Belford on the way.

By 1040 we were at 12640' (a gain of nearly 3000') and ready start up the last steep, rocky 1400' to the summit. Unfortunate- ly, Sherry bonked out from the last three hours of exertion. Walter, Hal, and Jay continued on and we waited for them. Since it was a trip, our options were limited. We could wait there, or further down the trail, but not return alone, nor proceed up at a slower pace.

Sherry and I had a relaxing time, nearly 3.5 hours, watching the marmots, conies, and some passing hikers. We sat on rocks and laid on grass between new fallen but crusty snow. Wind-whipped snow devils played on the high, stark ridge of Missouri. Some- times we received a cold breeze. It was cool, clear, and felt intensely big and open around us, though that part of the Sawatch is not particularly spectacular.

Our companions returned and we descended the trail, 1410-1615. It had gotten a bit muddy from melting snow. Full sunlight struck the valley as we followed it down, and glowed golden from changing aspen. There were spots along the trail that were burnt orange canopies of intense color. Through sparse trees came im- ages of the distant opposite slope of Clear Creek Canyon, bearing umber-edged gullies. It was a very pleasant afternoon.

On the way home we visited the Tandoor of India, a specialty res- taurant in downtown Denver near the train station, eerie at night. We had the dining room to ourselves; just as well consid- ering our generally grungy state. It was the finest (and most expensive) meal I've ever had wearing jeans and sneakers.