Journal 81 R.E.Johnson 1968 Aug.18 North Bitterroot Mtns, Montana (Illinois Pk.) Another rainy day with low clouds, but for some reason Illinois Pk seemed to be free of clouds when the other peaks were completely mantled with them. I drove back to Freezeout Summit (see Aug.16) & drove up the ridge about 3/4 of a mile toward Illinois Pk. Here the road ends & the trail continues for another 1 3/4 miles to the summit. Rain fell (& some hail & snow) on the hike up but visibility remained good. The north side of the ridge, the trail follows up to the peak is steep & has several snow filled chimneys that extend 500 ft. down to a wide boulder filled cirque below. Aside from these chimneys, most of the north face is covered with krumholz vegetation. The top of the peak is bald, but surrounded closely by trees (White- barked Pine, Mtn. Hemlock, Lodgepole Pine, Spruce, & Subalpine Fir). A short distance west of the (A sketch map) lookout tower another cirque is seen, that is 150 yds across at the top of the 1st scallop in the ridge & has a large snow patch part way down the face. Other smaller patches are located at the ridge top & at lower levels. At the bottom are several mine dumps & shafts. Further to the south west are several smaller scallops also leading into this cirque. The left wall of this cirque formed by the Montana Idaho border (the