Journal R.E.Johnson Aug 17 North Bitterroot Mtns, Montana The clouds I could never see up slope & thus was totally unable to tell whether any open ridges or alpine country occurred above me. The road up toward Little Joe Mtn is now an unmarked & little traveled narrow side road from the through road to the logging operation se of the mtn. I drove up this road & parked at the end which is over 100 yds se of the peak top. I hiked along the ridge top and apparently covered the highest part of the mtn, however I couldn't see over 50 ft & even became temporarily lost in route back to the car. Thus I could not be sure that a still higher point a short distance away wasn't missed entirely. What I did see indicated a steep slope of low vegetation on the north face & a wooded south slope. The top was covered with open woods or, small open herb covered areas. I could not see down slope on the north far enough to determine if there were steeper slopes, cliffs, or snow below. What I did see was not especially alpine in nature but the possibility does still exist that an alpine cirque existed below. I drove back west again along the state line road to where I first reached it and then continued nw along the road. The road continued in the trees most of the way & as