14 replies to this topic

[cardinal]

I went up to Mt Ida on Monday. I have been there two times before and keep forgetting that it is more difficult than the books imply or I recall although the first time I went up I was with my son and we went up through Timber Lake. It is a climb but just the same a very "soul filled" hike as so much of it is above treeline. I also know another thing about this hike now - it is more mileage than the TH positng of 4 miles and even more than the 4.5 miles various books indicate. My GPS had it at 4.7 miles from the Milner TH and I tend to believe it! Anyway, a great day with little wind. One thing I saw that I have never seen before were rams clashing their horns together. You could hear the sound echo throughtout the valley. I ran into them on the way up about 1.2 miles from the top. Couldn't get a picture of them then but when I came down they had moved below and was able to get a picture (the thrid pic below). By then they were in a resting mode. The trail did have one washout that you had to maneuver around. It was significant as about 20 ft of it was washed out. I was surprised that the park had not fixed it yet. I know they are busy fixing a lot of the damaged trails from the past winter's snowfall.

Today is a rest day with hikes yet to be determiend for tomorrow and Thursday.


A view to the SW. You can see Big Meadows and Grand Lake amongst other. Over exposed pic but still a great scene
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A scene of a grandfather and his two grandsons enjoying the tundra hike
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Five friends I met on the way back down. They were enjoying the day
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[Monica]

Great pictures!
You were really lucky to see the big horns!

[HighPlainsMedic]

Excellent..you caught a great shot of the herd that hangs around there... memorable..

[Qbert]

Glad you got a great hike in.
Was the first section of trail below treeline still covered with snow? Earlier in the month we couldn't find the trail at all and just had to "go up".

[renate1]

Yep a great hike indeed!

[Becky J.]

Love the bighorns. Nice views.

Becky J.

[Bill 007]

One of our favorites and one we will do again if we're blessed with the chance to head back!
The rams were an unexpected treat our last time up....thanks for the memory!!

Bill

[Allie]

Great photos, I really like the first one. Of course the rams are cool, I would love to see them in a setting like that.

[foxfire]

Nice shote! Thanks!

Loved the 1st one best! Ofcoarse the 2nd is Coooool for you all!!!!!

Fox

Edited by foxfire, 26 July 2011 - 08:13 PM.

[cardinal]

Qbert, on 26 July 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

Glad you got a great hike in.
Was the first section of trail below treeline still covered with snow? Earlier in the month we couldn't find the trail at all and just had to "go up".

There were small sections of snow but none of any consequence. It was easy to keep on the trail.

[John]

I like the shot of the hikers. Walking with determination.

[malicky]

Do you recall how the Gorges Lakes area looked? I'm traveling to Little Rock Lake later this year and wondered if snow would still be dense down in Forest Canyon or if it would be exceptionally boggy due to the snow this year. Luckily, we're cross country zone camping so we can pick our spots. Humorously, the Ranger I spoke to this weekend noted that most people who try to go to the designated Little Rock Lake site rarely find it. I suspect there are many more trees fallen this year, based on reading the reports about slides, trail damage, and post avalanche debris on the Park's West side in general.

[jflo]

I'd love to do that hike again... Great pics!!

[mathguy]

cardinal, on 26 July 2011 - 03:46 PM, said:

I went up to Mt Ida on Monday. I have been there two times before and keep forgetting that it is more difficult than the books imply or I recall although the first time I went up I was with my son and we went up through Timber Lake. It is a climb but just the same a very "soul filled" hike as so much of it is above treeline. I also know another thing about this hike now - it is more mileage than the TH positng of 4 miles and even more than the 4.5 miles various books indicate. My GPS had it at 4.7 miles from the Milner TH and I tend to believe it! Anyway, a great day with little wind. One thing I saw that I have never seen before were rams clashing their horns together. You could hear the sound echo throughtout the valley. I ran into them on the way up about 1.2 miles from the top. Couldn't get a picture of them then but when I came down they had moved below and was able to get a picture (the thrid pic below). By then they were in a resting mode. The trail did have one washout that you had to maneuver around. It was significant as about 20 ft of it was washed out. I was surprised that the park had not fixed it yet. I know they are busy fixing a lot of the damaged trails from the past winter's snowfall.

Hey cardinal! By any chance did we meet up on Deer Mountain last Saturday? I took a picture
of you guys and as I was hiking down I reflected on the fact that you said you've been coming
to RMNP for 30 (?) years and I should have asked you if you were a Forums member.

Nice pics by the way. I was thinking of trying Ida, but got waived off by reports of all the snow on
the first part of the hike. Maybe next year. Now I'm back roasting in Norman, OK!

[cardinal]

mathguy, on 27 July 2011 - 12:09 PM, said:

Hey cardinal! By any chance did we meet up on Deer Mountain last Saturday? I took a picture
of you guys and as I was hiking down I reflected on the fact that you said you've been coming
to RMNP for 30 (?) years and I should have asked you if you were a Forums member.

Nice pics by the way. I was thinking of trying Ida, but got waived off by reports of all the snow on
the first part of the hike. Maybe next year. Now I'm back roasting in Norman, OK!

I didn't arrive until Sat afternoon but my friend, his wife and 2 grandson's arrived on Friday and did do Deer Mountain on Sat. I bet you met them!!!

malicky, on 27 July 2011 - 03:39 AM, said:

Do you recall how the Gorges Lakes area looked? I'm traveling to Little Rock Lake later this year and wondered if snow would still be dense down in Forest Canyon or if it would be exceptionally boggy due to the snow this year. Luckily, we're cross country zone camping so we can pick our spots. Humorously, the Ranger I spoke to this weekend noted that most people who try to go to the designated Little Rock Lake site rarely find it. I suspect there are many more trees fallen this year, based on reading the reports about slides, trail damage, and post avalanche debris on the Park's West side in general.

Many of the lakes were still covered with snow/ice. On the way up we looked over the edge and the lower lakes were ice/snow free. But lakes like Arrowhead (I think that is one of the higher ones) was completely snow/ice covered.