The tour to the summit of Mount Ida is one of the absolute top hikes of the Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a moderately difficult hike, where no mountaineering skills are required. This tour is well suited for us.

Since this hike is above the tree line, it is highly exposed to thunderstorms. That’s why we carefully observe the weather forecast the days before in order to choose the ideal one. Since thunderstorms are common in the early afternoon and the weather in the Rockies can be unpredictable, we start the hike very early in the morning.

The ascent of Mount Ida can be described in three stages. At the beginning the trail goes steeply through the forest. We then catch our breath before taking a very scenic trail on the tundra along which we are already rewarded with great views, we see Mount Ida and encounter many marmots. The last section takes us through boulder fields until we finally reach the summit where a fantastic 360 degree view awaits us. We are then surrounded by numerous peaks over 4000 meters (the “Peak Finder” app shows us more than 30 of them), Grand Lake and various mountain lakes. We even see the iconic Trail Ridge Road in the distance.

We go back down the same way we came up, which is actually anything but boring. The new perspective also offers beautiful views.