Mt. Belford Trip Report 04/26/2010

Peak(s):	Mt. Belford - 14,202 feet Mt. Oxford - 14,158 feet
Date Posted:	04/26/2010
Date Climbed:	04/25/2010
Author:	killingcokes

Fun in the Sawatch
After looking at the weather develop this week I was thinking a trip to the Sawatch might be in order. I was a little worried about all the new snow and how it would bond, so I thought a big day in an area with potentially less snow might be what was called for. I've been wanting to get this double day in for sometime and since I've been feeling better this week it seemed like a return to the 14ers would be just right. I drove down the night before and car camped. Rob met me at the trailhead in the morning at 4. Our 4:50 am start was pretty early and away we went. We made pretty decent time to Belford and skied down the ridge to the Belford and Oxford saddle. Props to the guys that passed us, you guys were fast. We then made the grunt up to Oxford and enjoyed a really nice ski into Belford Gulch via the Northwest Gully. The hike back up and out to Mt Belford was painful with copious amounts of wind. The weather on this fine day was everything from wind to snow to 50 degree sun we had it all.... More words and pics at my site. Mt Belford 14,197 and Mt Oxford 14,153 Northwest Gullies 4/25/2010 Photo by lodgling Photo by lodgling

Fun in the Sawatch

After looking at the weather develop this week I was thinking a trip to the Sawatch might be in order. I was a little worried about all the new snow and how it would bond, so I thought a big day in an area with potentially less snow might be what was called for. I've been wanting to get this double day in for sometime and since I've been feeling better this week it seemed like a return to the 14ers would be just right.

I drove down the night before and car camped. Rob met me at the trailhead in the morning at 4. Our 4:50 am start was pretty early and away we went. We made pretty decent time to Belford and skied down the ridge to the Belford and Oxford saddle. Props to the guys that passed us, you guys were fast. We then made the grunt up to Oxford and enjoyed a really nice ski into Belford Gulch via the Northwest Gully. The hike back up and out to Mt Belford was painful with copious amounts of wind. The weather on this fine day was everything from wind to snow to 50 degree sun we had it all.... More words and pics at my site.

Mt Belford 14,197 and Mt Oxford 14,153 Northwest Gullies 4/25/2010

Photo by lodgling

Photo by lodgling

Comments or Questions

JakeK	Nice Double 4/27/2010 5:07pm Looks like those lines should be good for a while longer. Hoping to hit them soon. Nice pics!
SchralpTheGnar	so work dude 4/27/2010 5:09pm Good lines for sure, some of the best snow on a 14er was down the east face of Belford and then back down the west gully. That‘s like climbing and skiing Belford twice, which doesn‘t count for much, but its something.
laswanso	Trail conditions? 4/28/2010 1:47am Nice pictures. Were you able to drive all the way to the trailhead? We‘re trying to decide which 14er to climb this weekend. Any trouble following the trail in the snow?
killingcokes	No problems 4/28/2010 2:08am No problems getting to the trailhead or following the trail, even in the dark. I was slipping around the switchbacks on my skis though. At treeline there are a bunch of different route to the peak. Pick your poison and enjoy. It was really cold so we didn‘t feel like skittering down the ice on Belfords east face. I think we more than made up for it in the quality of our Oxford ski. And our Belford ski was one of the best runs I‘ve ever had on a 14er.
USAKeller	Nice job guys! 4/29/2010 4:09pm Way to get out and get some! I gotta get back there for Belford and Missouri. The North Face couloirs on Missouri look tasty! Nice report Fritz!
Easy Rider	‘back to the 14ers‘ 4/29/2010 5:21pm yes!
pioletski	Hey Fritz - 5/4/2010 12:14am welcome back to the 14ers. Still want to get out and ski with you, I‘ll send PMs with plans.
killingcokes	Yeah But 5/4/2010 12:19am I skied Quandary today solo. It was windy as f*ck. I still need to have my focus be on the Tenmile /Mosquitos till I get it all done. I hope all this snow keeps the skiable 14er lines in till June. Then I could knock some out for sure.

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