Colorado
The Never Summer Mountain Range as seen from the meadows of Mount Ida at 12,000 feet. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. 09.August.2007.
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Ratings
Overall: 5/5 | Difficulty: 4/5 | Scenery: 5/5 | Solitude: 4/5
Trail visibility: 3/5 (unmaintained after first 3 miles)
Vitals
Distance (round trip): 10.7 miles (17.2 km)
Elevation gain: 2,311 ft (704 m)
Trailhead: Milner Pass along Trail Ridge Road
Turnaround point: Mount Ida summit
Starting elevation: 10,578 ft (3,224 m)
Ending elevation: 12,889 ft (3,929 m)
Resources
National Park Service
Around Colorado
Spirit of the Rockies
Weather on 09.Aug.2007:
Sunny; cold and windy above treeline
Day's high: 57°F (13.89°C), low: (45°F (7.22°C)
Highlights:
Pine forest, alpine meadows, Never Summer mountain range, big horn sheep, alpine lakes, continental divide.
Notes:
Exquisite views of Never Summer Range, and wide open meadows along the Continental Divide. Once at the summit, view of Gorge Lakes at your feet is your reward.
Trail disappears after the first three miles, and we had to find a way across a boulder field and wide open meadows. A few cairns were there to mark the way. Had to make our way across same again on the way down. I hated having to hop and balance my way on the boulders -- they were hard on my knees, even using trekking poles for balance!
Trail is not too steep, and no upward scrambling was required. We had to walk across a field of boulders, twice. And on the way down from the summit, until we found the trail, we had to suffer a bit hiking downhill on rocky, uneven terrain for more than a mile. It was painful on my knees and my ankles!
Advice to fellow-hikers:
Altitude sickness is a real possibility for anyone. Symptoms include light-headedness, irritability, and nausea. The only way to relieve yourself of the symptoms is to start heading down.
Beware of at least two false summits.
Hydrate and eat well before and throughout the day while hiking. Bring extra water. (On the way back, my 2-liter pack ran out more than two miles from the trailhead.) Beware of thunderstorms -- don't get caught in one above the treeline. Watch for big-horn sheep. Enjoy the views.
Time started: 8:15 a.m.
Time ended: 3:50 p.m.
Total time: 7 hours 35 mins
