Missouri Mountain: The third summit of the Belford-Oxford-Missouri triple
Missouri Mountain is the third 14er of the Missouri Gulch trailhead — a sustained Class 2 climb to a sharp ridge summit. Often paired with Belford and Oxford for a strong triple-14er day.
Missouri Mountain shares the Missouri Gulch trailhead with Mount Belford and Mount Oxford. From the upper basin, the trail diverges — left for Belford-Oxford, right for Missouri. Climbers either tag all three in one long day or break Missouri across a separate trip.
The peak at a glance
- Elevation: 14,074 ft (4,290 m)
- Rank in Colorado: 38th of 56 peaks above 14,000 ft
- Range: Sawatch Range — Collegiate Peaks
- County: Chaffee County
- Coordinates: 38.9472° N, 106.3783° W
- Standard route: Northwest Ridge from Missouri Gulch (Class 2) — 10.5 mi RT, ~4,500 ft gain
- Public land: San Isabel National Forest
How Missouri Mountain got its name
Named for the prospectors who worked the gulch in the late nineteenth century — many of whom had migrated from Missouri. Mining-district records use the name from the 1870s.
The standard route
From Missouri Gulch trailhead, follow the standard trail into the upper basin and turn west at the basin junction. The route ascends Missouri's northwest ridge on Class 2 terrain — one short Class 2+ ledge near the summit. About 10.5 miles round-trip with 4,500 feet of gain.
When to climb
The Colorado fourteener climbing season is short. The standard window runs from late June through mid-September — after the snow has melted off the trail and before the first serious autumn storm. Outside that window, you're committing to a winter ascent: snow travel, avalanche assessment, post-holing through drifts, and route-finding without a visible trail.
Inside the window, the rule that has saved more Colorado lives than any other is be off the summit by noon. Afternoon convective storms build over the high peaks almost daily in July and August. Lightning is the leading weather killer in the Rockies. Plan for a pre-dawn start — most experienced climbers leave the trailhead between 4:00 and 5:30 AM.
Where it sits
What climbers wish they'd known
The triple is real but long. Belford + Oxford + Missouri in one day is a 12-mile, 6,000-foot day. Most parties save Missouri for a return trip.
Before you go
A 14er is a long, exposed day at altitude. Read these first if you haven't already:
- Planning your first multi-day backpacking trip — same logistics apply to a long single-day summit push.
- How to choose the right trail difficulty — converting class ratings into honest fitness estimates.
- Leave No Trace, in one minute — alpine tundra heals on a geological clock. Stay on the trail.
Looking for the standard route on the map? Browse Colorado trails on the Outdoors App or jump to the Near Me view if you're already in-state.
If you liked this peak
- Mount Belford — the trailhead-shared partner
- Mount Oxford — the Belford traverse
- Huron Peak — the next Sawatch over
Hero photograph: Missouri Mountain in the Sawatch Range, Colorado. by jokermanj, licensed under CC BY 2.0.
