The standard route on Missouri Mountain, sharing a trailhead with neighboring Belford and Oxford but climbed as a separate objective up its own ridge.
From Leadville, drive about 20 miles south on US-24 and turn onto Chaffee County Road 390; continue roughly 7.5 miles to the Missouri Gulch Trailhead. From the trailhead at about 9,600–9,660 feet, follow the Missouri Gulch/Belford trail up its initial switchbacks, then continue up the gulch past the point where the Belford trail splits off, staying on the main Missouri Gulch/Elkhead Pass trail. Leave the maintained trail to climb Missouri's northwest ridge directly to the summit at 14,067 feet, on a mix of trail and talus with some exposed sections near the top.
Reverse the northwest ridge back into Missouri Gulch and down to the trailhead.