Mt Ida

This sums up how I feel at the top of every mountain. There is something about being up above the trees where you can see for miles and miles, you feel that you are drinking everything in. We started the morning seeing a momma bear and two cubs as we were leaving the Y. On the vast tundra off the side of Trail Ridge Road, we were treated to an enormous herd of elk. As we were climbing the first mile of the trail to Mt Ida, four male elk were mock sparring in preparation for the upcoming rut. Near the summit, a ptarmigan family, the chicks nearly as large as the mother, tried to blend in with the rocks.

Up at the top of Mt Ida, I could look down at the lakes that we had tried to reach two weeks ago. Half of our group made it to Inkwell on that trip. The ice on Azure gleamed at us, teasing us to head down the gulley. Tales of monster fish caught in Arrowhead and told by hikers passed as they headed down only whetted my appetite to get back here another day.

But today was meant for Mt Ida - and lots of first ascents among the group.That first trip to the tundra and a summit with an incredible view is addicting.