R.E. Johnson
1968
Aug 18 Northern Bitterroot Mtns, Montana (Idaho Pk)
crest of the Bitterroots) and a trail follows
this ridge west. I sat at the head of this
cirque & ate lunch. A juvenile Rosy Finch
came up from near the snow patch below
& landed at various points on the cliffs,
then on a tree, & finally flew toward the
lookout tower & out of sight. I was quite
surprised as this looked like far from
optimum habitat. Trees line the cliff top
& no real alpine development occurs. Even so
there are ample cliffs, snow patches, etc.
The following plant species occur near the top of
the peak: dwarf huckleberry, creeping juniper,
redheather, Glacier Lily, Blue Gentian, beargrass,
Lycopus, bistort, harebell, yarrow, Agoseris, Menziesia
paintbrush, western pasqueflower, yellow columbine,
Mertensia, false hellebore, Lyall Penstemon, a yellow
penstemon, willowweed, buttercup, St. John's Wort,
aster.
West of this cirque (A), on the west side of
the summit ridge of the Bitterroot Mtns, is
another large cirque (B), filled with talus & boulders
& with slopes of cliffs, trees, herbaceous vegetation
on wet soil, & dense ericaceous vegetation depending
on where one looks. Several snow patches lay at
the bottom. Three Rosy Finches (juveniles) were
flying about with 5 Clark Nutcrackers. They