"The route up Mount Ida breaks out of magnificent subalpine forest onto wideopen alpine tundra, following the Continental Divide to gaze down ragged cliffs to Gorge Lakes. Along the Continental Divide in Milner Pass, a roadside sign at the southwest end of Poudre Lake explains the Divide. A few yards away, the trail up Mount Ida begins a twisting climb, never straying far from the Divide on the way to the summit. Magnificent subalpine forest carpeted with frequent patches of light blue Jacob’s ladder lines the trail as it twists and turns to meet the trail coming down from Fall River Pass. Subalpine Jacob’s ladder is a bit smaller than its counterpart seen along trails in the East. The wildflower was named for the pairs of leaflets that resemble rungs along the midrib." Read more