The Spirit of the Rockies www.thespiritoftherockies.net

Hike Profiles for Rocky Mountain National Park and Surrounding Areas

Mount Ida

The summit of Mount Ida is along the Continental Divide on the western slope of Rocky Mountain National Park. The remote summit can be most easily reached from a trail leading southeast from Milner Pass, but is also commonly reached from an unmarked route leading from the Timber Lake area.

Distance: 5.5 miles one-way Summit elevation: 12,880 feet Trailhead elevation: 10,578 feet Net elevation gain: 2,112 feet Milner Pass Trailhead Rocky Mountain National Park

North Face of Mount Ida

Major Trail Landmarks Junction of Trails to Forest Canyon Pass and Mount Ida (0.8 miles one-way from trailhead)

Principal Destinations Near Mount Ida Chief Cheley Peak (5.9 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unimproved trail beyond Mount Ida Timber Lake (6.8 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unimproved trail from Mount Ida

Backcountry Campsites Near Mount Ida There are no designated campsites along this trail; nearest sites are along the Timber Lake Trail.

The Trailheads at Milner Pass provide access to the Milner Pass, Forest Canyon Pass, and Poudre Valley Trails. Milner Pass is on the continental divide along Highway 34 (Trail Ridge Road), about 17 miles north of the Kawuneeche Visitor Center. Parking for the Milner Pass Trail is on the south end of Poudre Lake, and parking for Poudre Valley Trail is across from the lake on the west side of the road. To reach Mount Ida from the Milner Pass area, hike to the south end of Poudre Lake, and take the trail which strikes steeply uphill southeast of the pass and lake. Follow the trail for about 0.8 miles to a junction. The main trail heads northeast from this junction toward Forest Canyon Pass; to reach Mount Ida, leave the main trail at this point and take the unmaintained trail that leads southeast. Continue for a brief stretch to timberline, and follow the trail as it leads southeast along the tundra slopes toward Mount Ida. The narrow trail eventually fades out among rocks as it approaches the summit; continue in the same southeast heading to reach the summit. The summit can also be reached from a more difficult and unmarked route from Timber Lake, by hiking southeast of the lake to the saddle between Timber and Julian Lakes. From this saddle, hike the fairly steep grade toward the northeast to the summit of Mount Ida.

Sample photographs of the hike to M ount Ida

Sunrise on Mount Nimbus from above Milner Pass

View of Never Summer Range from the trail

Looking south from the summit

View of the Gorge Lakes from the summit

Mount Ida topographic map

Principal summer trail marked by solid red line; unmaintained trail or route marked by dashed red line. Map is oriented with north to the top of the map

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All photographs are property of Mike Amfahr and are protected by copyright laws. Topographic map is property of and copyrighted by Maps a la carte, Inc., and is used on this site with permission.