Missouri Mountain North Couloirs Snow Climb Guide
Missouri Mountain North Couloirs are a series of couloirs on this popular 14er located in the Sawatch Range of central Colorado. The most popular couloir on this mountain is the “C” couloir because it is less steep and heavily traveled but the North Couloir direct is also a fantastic line to climb and snowboard. The views from the top are some of the best in the Collegiate Peak range because the mountain is set back a bit from other peaks. This snow climb and snowboard/ski descent is rated as intermediate with most lines ranging from 35 – 45 degrees in grade.
Missouri Mountain North Couloirs Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: Missouri Mountain North Couloirs
Missouri Mountain North Couloirs Rating: ★★★★ (⅘ Stars)
Distance: 8 Miles RT
Elevation Start: 9,692 ft
Summit: 14,075 ft
Total Elevation Gain: 4,300 ft
Estimated Time to Complete: 7-8 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 2 – What does this mean?
Snow Climb Grade: Moderate – 30-40 degrees max
Season: January – June (end of May is best for continuous ski descent)
Avalanche Forecast: This route and area is avalanche prone, check conditions here.
Directions to Missouri Mountain
Trailhead: Missouri Gulch trailhead
Getting Here: The hike from Missouri Mountain starts at the Missouri Gulch Trailhead which is smack in between Leadville and Buena Vista. If you are coming from Buena Vista, head north on US24 and head south if you are coming from Leadville. Continue on 24 from either direction until you reach County Road 390. This is a fairly well maintained dirt road but can get pretty bumpy in spots. Take the road for about 7.5 miles until you reach the trailhead on your left. If you hit a “museum” on the right side of the road, you have gone too far. You can enter “Missouri Gulch Trailhead” into your favorite navigation app. The trail starts on the west side of the parking lot near Clear Creek.
Parking: The parking lot at Missouri Gulch Trailhead is fairly large, but will 100% fill up on most summer weekends. Parking is free and there is 1 non-plumbing bathroom there. Bring toilet paper, because it will often run out due to the number of people using it.
Fee: As of 2021, there is no fee for this hike.
Summary
Dogs: Missouri Mountain North Couloirs are not dog friendly in my opinion.
Camping: If you want to camp in the backcountry, that is an option but you will have to hike about 2 – 3 miles in to find flat ground. There are camping spots along County Road 390, but they will fill up quickly.
Make it a Loop: Missouri Mountain North Couloirs is an out and back hike. However, you could go off trail to hike neighboring Mt Belford and Mt Oxford or Iowa and Emerald Peak. There is not an “official” trail from Missouri to those other 14ers, but it is a fairly straight forward path over there if it is a clear day. Beware though, adding either set of mountains makes for a MUCH longer day, especially in the snow.
Trail X Factors: Stream Crossings
The trail up to Missouri Mountain has about 5 separate stream crossings along the way. In the winter and early spring months, you will breeze through most of these. However, if the snowpack is low late in the season or you are hiking in the early summer, these harmless stream crossings can turn into hikers gone wild (aka wet).
Hike Tip(s): Anytime you are hiking a couloir, understanding avalanche conditions is key. Even though these are “north facing” couloirs, some of them tend to point more east than north. Be sure to get off the snow early in the spring and make sure the snow is stable anytime you start the climb. Many of the Missouri Mountain North Couloirs are shaded by the sun causing uneven snow conditions from top to bottom.
Best Views: Missouri Mountain was actually one of my favorite peaks in the Sawatch Range to hike, as it pertains to 14ers. Unlike most of the Collegiate Peaks, Missouri Mountain is set back a bit from the road and major towns. This means that summit views bring less signs of humanity, which for those of you who follow these posts, know that is a huge plus for me. In addition to the great summit views, there are a number of streams and of course the large basin that surrounds the east side of Missouri Mountain to take in. The snow climb has great views to the east and of neighboring Mt Oxford and Mt Belford.
Missouri Mountain Hike Route
Shows a direct snow climb up the main North Couloir of Missouri Mountain
Gear Needed
- Dakine Poacher Winter Backpack
- Hiking/SkiPoles
- Headlamp
- Climbing Helmet
- Mountain Axe
- Crampons
- Crampon Bag
- La Sportiva Mountaineering Boots
- Microspikes
- Gaiters
- Optional: Avalanche Gear: Beacon, Probe, Shovel
- Optional: Snowshoes
- Optional: Skis or Splitboard
- Optional: Goggles
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: Camera and Lens
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
My Trip to Missouri Mountain North Couloirs: May 2021
I am not one of those “ski all year” people so the 2021 snow season was coming to an end for me around Memorial Day 2021. The plan was to knock out another centennial, Emerald Peak, add a new snow climb and tack on my 50th day of the 2021 snowboard season. Jackie, Juno and I snagged a camping spot near the TH and spent the night enjoying our first camp fire of the season. I slept like trash and woke up at 3AM feeling even worse. I struggled to hike up to the basin from the TH and at the large avalanche path, thought I would be calling it a day.
Mentally, I fought through the “low T” feeling and kept pushing. I was very happy I did as I ended up having an absolutely beautiful day on Missouri Mountain’s North Couloirs. I arrived at the base of the direct North Couloir as the snow started to warm and summited after a very straightforward climb. Due to my slow start, Emerald Peak was not in the cards so I enjoyed some time on the summit before descending the North Couloir of Missouri Mountain. The snow was PERFECT and I was able to get a decent amount of turns in before having to take off the board.
