The Iceberg Lakes are located just below the Continental Divide in the James Peak Wilderness. No trail reaches these seldom seen lakes, but a 5.9 mile route from the East Portal Trailhead leads past Rogers Peak Lake and Heart Lake to Rogers Pass, where the Continental Divide Trail continues south to a spectacular overlook.

Rogers Peak Lake (11,105') is located at treeline in a sprawling basin just below Heart Lake

Heart Lake's eponymous shape comes in to view from high points on the Rogers Pass Trail

The James Peak Protection Area spans the east side of the Mammoth Gulch glacial valley

The Iceberg Lakes are one of 5 lake clusters in the James Peak Wilderness that form the headwaters of South Boulder Creek

The CDT is variously referred to as the Corona Trail in the James Peak Wilderness

View of Heart Lake (left) and Rogers Peak Lake (right) from the Rogers Pass Trail

Long stretches of the CDT favor the west side of the Divide, where slopes are relatively moderate compared to the vertical, glacially carved east faces

800 miles of the CDT run through Colorado

The conversion of fellfields (predominantly rocky surfaces) to tundra turf can take centuries

Heart Lake from the basin headwall along the CDT

Alpine tundra grasses include the Alpine Blue Grass, Skyline Blue Grass, Spike Trisetum, Tufted Hair Grass, Spreading Wheatgrass, Kobresia and Pyrennian Sedge

The Rogers Pass Trail climbs 545' in less than half a mile from Heart Lake to Rogers Pass (11,860')

No trail reaches Iceberg Lakes, but it's a fairly moderate walk from the Divide down to the basin

The Rogers Pass Trail wraps up the Heart Lake basin and headwall to the Continental Divide

Once on the Divide, the CDT splits south for James Peak and north toward Rollins Pass

James Peak (13,294') marks the southwest boundary of the eponymous wilderness area

David Moffat's Northwestern and Pacific Railway crossed the Continental Divide in this area in 1903

The Corona Trail is vague, but well marked by cairns and guideposts; it's also quite difficult to get lost up here!

Rogers Peak Lake (11,105') is located 200' below Heart Lake at treeline

A non-technical descent is possible from the CDT to the Iceberg Lakes basin

Many alpine plants have tiny red hairs that help maximize the sun's light and heat