Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch TH via Mt. Belford Date Climbed: July 31, 2003
Climbed along with Mt. Belford. 4th 14er over 4 days. We got caught by a fast moving storm while on the summit. Passed through thunder, hail, and high winds while coming back over the saddle and Belford. Fortunately, no lightning. Pretty scary!
Route Climbed: West Ridge from Missouri Gulch TH Date Climbed: July 23, 2003
A good climb in conjunction with Belford. We started about an hour before sunrise (4:45 AM) and hit Belford Summit about 8:45 AM. Storms started brewing overhead earlier than usual ( about 9:30 AM) so as we approached Oxford we just ran up to touch the top of Oxford, take the picture, and get the heck outta there. We hit Oxford summit about 10 AM . Since we were in a vulnerable position on the ridge and a ways to go back to the Belford summit we hoofed it as fast as we could back to Belford and back down to lower, safer places. We got back to Belford summit at 11:30 AM just as the rains and winds began to really unleash. It was a good reminder why we carry rain gear and gloves even when it is warm and clear at the trailhead.
I have to disagree with kilimanjaro1, I don't think Oxford is a "wonderful" mountain. It seems as though everybody is miserable by the time they summit this pile of talus. It's not the mountains fault that it is surrounded by steep tree laden huge talus. Plus any route to its summit is unpractical unless you come from Belford.
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch - 9,640' Date Climbed: July 14, 2001
I made it to Belfords summit spent about one minute on top and headed for Oxford. The weather was heading in fast and was already cloudy, but it didn’t look like thunderstorms yet. The hike over to Oxford was pleasant and was an easy hike. Oxford has a huge summit it's a large mound with alpine grasses all over
The 700 feet back to Belfords ridge was the hardest part of the day and it was very steep. Once back on the ridge I didn’t want to make the trek back to Belfords summit so I headed to Elkhead pass. This is the saddle between Belford and Missouri Mtn.
Route Climbed: From Belford Date Climbed: September 1, 2002
After reaching this summit it was quite a relief because we had gotten Belford and Missouri previous to it that day. Heading back to Belford was a grueling 700 vertical ft but it was another relief making it back to Belford. Then the fun downclimb began which did wonders for my knees. This was my first day bagging three 14ers in one day :) and a long day it was...about 13 hours.
Route Climbed: Elk Head Pass from Missouri Basin Trailhead Date Climbed: August 8, 1997
When we climbed Belford we didn't climb Oxford because of a summit storm. I climbed Oxford by walking all the way to Elk Head Pass. It's long but easy. Climbing Oxford from Elk Head Pass is just a matter of following Belford's South Ridge to the Oxford-Belford saddle and crossing over. Except for the distance its quite easy. On the down climb I did cross over Belford and followed the standard route down. I was hallucinating on the way. I saw a dinosaur (a large rock), a panther (a small aspen tree), and several skunks ( small rocks).
Route Climbed: Belford saddle Date Climbed: Aug 17 2002
7th summit of Nolan's 14. Only 45 minutes from Belford. Descended off trail south of the saddle down to an avalanche chute above the Bedrock Falls aid station on the Pine Creek trail. It is getting dark. On to Harvard.
mtnhiker13 - Sep 15, 2003 10:27 am
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch Date Climbed: 9/14/2003Climbed after Belford. Was a quick traverse and back. Some snow on the downclimb from Belford to watch out for, it was getting pretty icy.
We had a wonderdul day for weather- very clear and crisp with very little wind. A great climb.
odysseus - Aug 7, 2003 9:02 am
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch TH via Mt. Belford Date Climbed: July 31, 2003Climbed along with Mt. Belford. 4th 14er over 4 days. We got caught by a fast moving storm while on the summit. Passed through thunder, hail, and high winds while coming back over the saddle and Belford. Fortunately, no lightning. Pretty scary!
kilimanjaro1 - Jul 29, 2003 7:25 pm
Route Climbed: West Ridge from Missouri Gulch TH Date Climbed: July 23, 2003A good climb in conjunction with Belford. We started about an hour before sunrise (4:45 AM) and hit Belford Summit about 8:45 AM. Storms started brewing overhead earlier than usual ( about 9:30 AM) so as we approached Oxford we just ran up to touch the top of Oxford, take the picture, and get the heck outta there. We hit Oxford summit about 10 AM . Since we were in a vulnerable position on the ridge and a ways to go back to the Belford summit we hoofed it as fast as we could back to Belford and back down to lower, safer places. We got back to Belford summit at 11:30 AM just as the rains and winds began to really unleash. It was a good reminder why we carry rain gear and gloves even when it is warm and clear at the trailhead.
bernardhohman - Jul 29, 2003 12:57 am
Route Climbed: West Ridge via Belford Date Climbed: August 10, 2002Nice day, but people started filling in the connecting ridge from Belford. So much for solitude.
RyanS - Jun 9, 2003 11:10 am
Route Climbed: South Slopes Date Climbed: May 16, 2003Great conditions from Belford to Oxford. Our report is available here.
Kane - May 29, 2003 7:25 pm
Route Climbed: Soth Slopes Date Climbed: 1997I have to disagree with kilimanjaro1, I don't think Oxford is a "wonderful" mountain. It seems as though everybody is miserable by the time they summit this pile of talus. It's not the mountains fault that it is surrounded by steep tree laden huge talus. Plus any route to its summit is unpractical unless you come from Belford.
chef007 - Apr 16, 2003 3:23 pm
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch Date Climbed: 14 April 2003I climbed this one with Belford.............that was a loooooooooooooong day.
Grant - Jan 20, 2003 12:47 pm
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch - 9,640' Date Climbed: July 14, 2001I made it to Belfords summit spent about one minute on top and headed for Oxford. The weather was heading in fast and was already cloudy, but it didn’t look like thunderstorms yet. The hike over to Oxford was pleasant and was an easy hike. Oxford has a huge summit it's a large mound with alpine grasses all over
The 700 feet back to Belfords ridge was the hardest part of the day and it was very steep. Once back on the ridge I didn’t want to make the trek back to Belfords summit so I headed to Elkhead pass. This is the saddle between Belford and Missouri Mtn.
rmjwinters - Oct 5, 2002 10:06 pm
Route Climbed: Traverse from Belford Date Climbed: June 11 2000Made traverse...extremely windy and cold.
xskier77 - Sep 7, 2002 8:13 pm
Route Climbed: From Belford Date Climbed: September 1, 2002After reaching this summit it was quite a relief because we had gotten Belford and Missouri previous to it that day. Heading back to Belford was a grueling 700 vertical ft but it was another relief making it back to Belford. Then the fun downclimb began which did wonders for my knees. This was my first day bagging three 14ers in one day :) and a long day it was...about 13 hours.
wayneaflick - Jun 25, 2002 8:14 pm
Route Climbed: Elk Head Pass from Missouri Basin Trailhead Date Climbed: August 8, 1997When we climbed Belford we didn't climb Oxford because of a summit storm. I climbed Oxford by walking all the way to Elk Head Pass. It's long but easy. Climbing Oxford from Elk Head Pass is just a matter of following Belford's South Ridge to the Oxford-Belford saddle and crossing over. Except for the distance its quite easy. On the down climb I did cross over Belford and followed the standard route down. I was hallucinating on the way. I saw a dinosaur (a large rock), a panther (a small aspen tree), and several skunks ( small rocks).
ctruscot - Jun 17, 2002 10:49 am
Route Climbed: Missouri Gulch around backside of Belford Date Climbed: September 9 2000I love the valley of Missouri Gulch. Dusting of snow that day and winds that never stopped.
Matt Mahoney - May 17, 2002 5:12 pm
Route Climbed: Belford saddle Date Climbed: Aug 17 20027th summit of Nolan's 14. Only 45 minutes from Belford. Descended off trail south of the saddle down to an avalanche chute above the Bedrock Falls aid station on the Pine Creek trail. It is getting dark. On to Harvard.
steve simmons - Jan 3, 2002 4:54 pm
Route Climbed: standard approach from the west from belford Date Climbed: august 18th, '01beautiful morning summit,
descended south to avalanche gulch from belford oxford summit.
Praise GOD!!!!
miztflip - Aug 21, 2001 3:40 pm
Route Climbed: From Belford Date Climbed: July 2000Did with Belford and Missouri. The view of Harvard is incredible.
climbcolorado - Aug 16, 2001 7:56 pm
Route Climbed: West RidgeAnother easy hike with my dog Sneakers!