{"id":37156,"date":"2022-02-17T08:10:50","date_gmt":"2022-02-17T15:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=37156"},"modified":"2022-04-03T08:57:43","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T14:57:43","slug":"illinois-peak-bitterroot-range-montana-idaho-border-8-8-21","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/?p=37156","title":{"rendered":"Illinois Peak, Bitterroot Range, Montana\/Idaho Border (8-8-21)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Days 1-3 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!<\/em><\/p>\n

8-6-21, 7:51 PM, 52\u00baF –\u00a0 <\/em>Like being in the movie Groundhog Day!\u00a0 4 weeks after her Dingo Vacation to Wyoming suffered it’s final coup-de-grace at this very spot, Loopster stood again up on the dolomite at High Park Lookout<\/span><\/a> (9,477 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 Cloudier this evening than it had been back then, but otherwise virtually no change.\u00a0 Still sort of smoky up along the spine of the Bighorns.\u00a0 Not too bad, but as before, much worse to the SW.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Back at High Park Lookout<\/strong> in the Bighorns at the start of a brand new Dingo Vacation! Photo looks N.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What do you think, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Iffy, Loop, real iffy.\u00a0 We’ll take another look in the morning.<\/em><\/p>\n

8-7-21, 6:28 AM, 48\u00baF –<\/em> Groundhog Day would have been better.\u00a0 Didn’t Lupe take long to get back up to High Park Lookout, but the effort served more as a morning romp than an attempt to glean any new information.\u00a0 A red sun already seen rising through the smoky haze from the trailhead had told the tale.<\/p>\n

The sun was yellow now, but that made no difference.\u00a0 Details visible yesterday evening were no longer detectable.\u00a0 Definitely worse!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Back at High Park Lookout<\/strong> early on 8-7-21. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our goose is cooked, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Seems that way, Loop.\u00a0 Guess we can cross the Bighorns off our list.\u00a0 Not hanging around for this!<\/em><\/p>\n

Where are we going then, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Good question.\u00a0 Although back home the Black Hills weren’t on fire, it had been somewhat smoky there, too, for weeks.\u00a0 Big forest fires were raging all over the American West.\u00a0 The hoped for monsoon to put an end to it all hadn’t materialized.\u00a0 Far from it!\u00a0 2021 was a summer of smoke and fire, with scarcely a drop of rain anywhere out W.<\/p>\n

W and N, Loopster!\u00a0 As far as we can, until the sky turns blue!<\/em><\/p>\n

Canada!\u00a0 Alaska!\u00a0 Oh, joy!<\/em><\/p>\n

No, not that far N, Loop.\u00a0 Canada’s still closed.\u00a0 Covid-19.\u00a0 Supposed to open up pretty soon, but there are a lot of rules with draconian penalties, and they keep changing with little or no warning.\u00a0 Would love to, but Canada is out, and that means Alaska is out, too.<\/em><\/p>\n

What about the Alaska marine highway<\/strong><\/span><\/a>?<\/em><\/p>\n

They’ve raised prices, cut service, and they’ve got plenty of new rules, too.\u00a0 What happens if we get to Alaska and they shut the whole thing down?\u00a0 We’re really stuck then.\u00a0 Not going to chance it.<\/em><\/p>\n

Where are we going to find blue skies then, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

I don’t know.\u00a0 Might have to go all the way to the West Coast!\u00a0 Anyway, c’mon.\u00a0 Puppy, ho!\u00a0 We’re done here!<\/em><\/p>\n

Well, at least Lupe enjoyed some excitement in the Bighorns.\u00a0 Back at the trailhead, a herd of brown cows had moved in.\u00a0 The American Dingo was thrilled to see them!\u00a0 The cows were far less certain about the encounter.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Cows! Beautiful cows! Hesse Mountain<\/span><\/a> (10,385 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> (Center). Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe spent the day looking out the window of the RAV4.\u00a0 Mile after mile rolled by.\u00a0 Smoke everywhere, but it wasn’t terrible.\u00a0 Most places, if one looked straight up, the sky was blue.\u00a0 Toward all horizons, though, the sky was a hazy white.\u00a0 Air quality was poor, always bad enough to mar the views.<\/p>\n

Maybe Lupe really was going to have to go all the way to the West Coast to find any true blue skies?\u00a0 Seemed that way.\u00a0 Loop hadn’t been to the West Coast since her very first Dingo Vacation<\/span><\/a><\/strong> back in August, 2012, when she’d been with Lanis in his Honda Element.\u00a0 She’d had a blast!<\/p>\n

As the RAV4 sped onward, peak after peak got crossed off Lupe’s list of possibilities.\u00a0 After passing Anaconda, a glimmer of hope appeared.\u00a0 W of Deer Lodge, Mount Powell<\/span><\/strong><\/a> soared against a clear, blue sky!\u00a0 Might be just a pocket of good air, though.\u00a0 Smoke was still visible ahead to the N.<\/p>\n

Perhaps not!\u00a0 Well before the RAV4 reached Missoula, puffy white clouds were plying a sky that was a beautiful blue in all directions.<\/p>\n

Hey, hey, Loopster!\u00a0 Look at this!\u00a0 Nirvana!\u00a0 Maybe we’ve arrived?<\/em><\/p>\n

Fabulous, SPHP!\u00a0 What’s the next peak on my list?<\/em><\/p>\n

Illinois Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,690 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>!\u00a0 Right on the Montana\/Idaho border.\u00a0 Looks like we’ll have to leave I-90 at Superior.\u00a0 That’s well past Missoula.<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, we’ve never climbed a mountain in Idaho before, have we, SPHP?<\/em><\/p>\n

Nope.\u00a0 You’ve been to Idaho, but we haven’t climbed any mountains there yet.\u00a0 Illinois Peak will be the first, although we’ll be in Montana the whole way to it.<\/em><\/p>\n

8-7-21, 6:30 PM, Superior<\/em> – After leaving I-90, 2 L turns got the RAV4 to an underpass.\u00a0 Beyond it, whatever street this was came to a “T”.\u00a0 A L here onto Hwy 257, and Lupe was heading SE.\u00a0 1.5 miles from the “T”, SPHP pulled over to let the American Dingo out.\u00a0 A big sign with an arrow pointing R said Cedar Creek Road 320.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Superior, Montana. At the turn onto Cedar Creek Road No. 320. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No. 320!\u00a0 That’s what we want, Looper!<\/em><\/p>\n

No. 320 headed SW up the Cedar Creek valley.\u00a0 The first 1.5 miles were paved, but it was a good smooth road even after that.\u00a0 At about 6 miles there was a fork.\u00a0 Staying to the L, another fork was reached roughly 14 miles from the start.\u00a0 Here SPHP turned L onto No. 388, which crossed a bridge over Cedar Creek.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Roughly 14 miles from the start of No. 320 at the L turn onto No. 388. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

No. 388 was a much narrower road, but still decent.\u00a0 4 miles on it, the last part of which was quite a steep climb after passing a mine on the L, got Lupe to Freezeout Pass.<\/p>\n

8-7-21, 7:37 PM, 67\u00baF<\/em> – Roads left Freezeout Pass in 4 directions.\u00a0 SPHP stashed the RAV4 at the first one on the R, which was an abandoned spur.\u00a0 Way too late to start for Illinois Peak, but Lupe explored the spur for 0.4 mile, which was quite level as it wound W along the N side of HP6466<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 For the most part, forest hid the views.\u00a0 A glimpse to the NW wasn’t encouraging.<\/p>\n

Uh-oh, SPHP!\u00a0 Look at how smoky it is out there!<\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah.\u00a0 No telling what tomorrow is going to bring, Looper.\u00a0 Too late now to do anything other than hope we aren’t smoked out in the morning.<\/em><\/p>\n

Confidence wasn’t all that high that wouldn’t be the case.<\/p>\n

8-8-21, Dawn – <\/em>A strange sound as SPHP came to.\u00a0 Hadn’t heard that in eons!\u00a0 Could it be?\u00a0 Flipping on a light, it was!\u00a0 Rain!\u00a0 Not heavy, but steady.\u00a0 Well, back to sleep.\u00a0 Lupe wasn’t going anywhere for a while.\u00a0 The Blue Cookie Monster rain poncho had finally met its match back in June at Bruce Mountain<\/strong><\/span><\/a> in the Bighorns.\u00a0 No rain gear along on this Dingo Vacation at all.\u00a0 SPHP hadn’t seen any need to replace it, since rain was extinct.<\/p>\n

8-8-21, 10:59 AM, 51\u00baF, Freezeout Pass –<\/em> Not entirely!\u00a0 Rained most of the morning.\u00a0 Puddles and everything, just like the real deal!\u00a0 The Carolina Dog had been bored, but she’d survived.\u00a0 The more widespread this rain was, the better!\u00a0 Maybe it had put a few fires out?\u00a0 Wouldn’t that be nice?<\/p>\n

Definitely cleared any smoke away here!\u00a0 The rain seemed to be about over, although a lingering problem with clouds and fog remained.<\/p>\n

Never happy, are we, Loop?<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, yes we are, SPHP!\u00a0 Practically all the time, as long as we get our daily minor miracle!\u00a0 Are you ready to go yet?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yup!\u00a0 Onward!\u00a0 Puppy, ho!<\/em><\/p>\n

Looper left Freezeout Pass heading SW over a mound of dirt, then on up a broad dirt path.\u00a0 The rain had stopped so recently that the forest was still dripping.\u00a0 Surprisingly, the path was still firm underpaw, not muddy at all.\u00a0 Soon the path was covered with a carpet of short pine needles.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
About to leave Freezeout Pass<\/strong>. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Roughly 0.25 mile and 250 feet up to HP6466<\/span><\/strong> went quickly.\u00a0 Got a little steep shortly before the trail leveled out up top.\u00a0 Evidently this path had been some sort of a road at one time.\u00a0 Sort of nice, since it was wide enough to easily avoid contact with all the wet vegetation.<\/p>\n

No views at all.\u00a0 Seemed a bit foggy, so there wouldn’t have been any even if there hadn’t been any trees.\u00a0 Lupe trotted happily along the damp lane through the rich green forest like Toto on the way to the Emerald City.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the way to HP6466<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

HP6466<\/span><\/strong> was quite flat on top.\u00a0 No obvious high point.\u00a0 Eventually the path began to slope down.\u00a0 Heading SSW at first, it soon curved W.\u00a0 So far, there hadn’t been any obstacles, but Lupe now began coming to some deadfall.\u00a0 Not all that much of it, but what there was, was big!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Encountering some deadfall beyond HP6466<\/span><\/strong>. Fortunately, there wasn’t much of it! Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The wide path bottomed out at a saddle along the broad ridge Lupe was following.\u00a0 At this point, the former road ended, with only a single track trail continuing on from here.\u00a0 Staying along the S side of the ridge, the single track immediately started gaining elevation.\u00a0 Loop and SPHP were both soon soaking wet due to the vegetation pressing in from both sides.<\/p>\n

Although the trail climbed much more rapidly than wide path had lost elevation on the way down from HP6466<\/span><\/strong>, it wasn’t climbing rapidly enough to stay up on the ridgeline.\u00a0 Big rock formations could sometimes be seen 40 to 80 feet above the steep slope the trail was traversing.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the single track on the S side of the ridge. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Despite the rock formations above and steepness of the slope, the trail really wasn’t very rocky at all.\u00a0 Lupe came to only one minor knob of rock.\u00a0 There was a clearing here, with views of the North Fork of Trout Creek valley to the S.\u00a0 Clouds hid the mountaintops.\u00a0 Unsurprisingly, looking ahead, Illinois Peak was shrouded in fog, too.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
By the only little knob of rock along the trail. HP6466<\/span><\/strong> (L). North Fork of Trout Creek valley<\/strong> (R). Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Fog (L) where Illinois Peak<\/strong> ought to be. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The trail kept climbing at a good clip, and finally reached the ridgeline again.\u00a0 Apparently, Lupe was already past the big knobs.\u00a0 According to the topo map<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, the trail should have gone right over HP6760<\/span><\/strong> along in here, but in reality, remained 20 feet lower, bypassing it to the S.<\/p>\n

It’s so close, we really ought to visit HP6760<\/span><\/strong>, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Alrighty, let’s do it!<\/em><\/p>\n

Took only a few minutes backtracking to the E up on the ridgeline to get there.\u00a0 Trees hid the views to the S, but Lupe did get a cloudy view of a series of forested ridges to the N.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At HP6760<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

W of HP6760<\/span><\/strong>, the trail gradually dipped again.\u00a0 Progress was rapid.\u00a0 Soon, however, the American Dingo was climbing fairly aggressively again.\u00a0 Once again, the trail stayed S of the ridgeline.\u00a0 Fog was always just ahead, but Loop never quite seemed to reach it.\u00a0 The cloud cover was rising just as fast.<\/p>\n

With a little luck, maybe we’ll actually get to see something from Illinois Peak, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Wouldn’t that be nice?\u00a0 Hope you’re right Looper!<\/em><\/p>\n

Loop was at least as high as HP6760<\/span><\/strong> again, when suddenly there were ripe blueberries right along the trail.\u00a0 The Carolina Dog had passed a few earlier on, too, but these blueberries were bigger, sweeter, and more scrumpdiddlyicous.\u00a0 Wasn’t long before progress came to a screeching halt, as SPHP became willingly ensnared in the blueberry trap.<\/p>\n

While SPHP was thus engaged, the American Dingo raced away down the slope.\u00a0 She charged back up a few minutes later, panting hard.<\/p>\n

Saved you, SPHP!<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh, really?\u00a0 Thank you very much, Looper!\u00a0 Saved me from what?<\/em><\/p>\n

A flock of bears!\u00a0 They wanted to take over this same blueberry patch.\u00a0 Said it was theirs to begin with.<\/em><\/p>\n

Dingo feathers!\u00a0 No such thing as a flock of bears!\u00a0 At least, there better not be!<\/em><\/p>\n

Are you done with the blueberries yet, SPHP?\u00a0 Even I can only hold a flock of bears off for so long, you know.<\/em><\/p>\n

Umm, pretty soon, Loopster.\u00a0 No real rush is there?\u00a0 Need to give Illinois Peak a little longer to emerge from the clouds, anyway, don’t we?\u00a0 Why don’t you try a few blueberries yourself?\u00a0 You’ll love ’em!\u00a0 Very healthy, too!\u00a0 All organic, and super fresh.<\/em><\/p>\n

Carolina Dogs don’t eat blueberries, SPHP.<\/em><\/p>\n

Why not?\u00a0 Some dogs do!\u00a0 Remember that incredible video Dave Metz<\/span><\/strong><\/a> made about traversing the Brooks Range in Alaska?\u00a0 What an adventure!\u00a0 His dogs ate blueberries to stay alive.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jimmy got sick and died, SPHP.\u00a0 Probably blueberry poisoning!<\/em><\/p>\n

Blueberry poisoning!\u00a0 Jimmy got cancer, not blueberry poisoning!\u00a0 Dave Metz said so.<\/em><\/p>\n

You can live dangerously, if you want to, SPHP, but I’m not taking any chances.\u00a0 Hurry it up with the blueberries, though.\u00a0 We’ve got a mountain to climb, you know!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
W of HP6760<\/span><\/strong>, starting up again. Photo looks WSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Part of the blueberry trap.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Guarding against any incoming flocks of bears while SPHP gorges. HP6760<\/span><\/strong> (Center). North Fork of Trout Creek valley<\/strong> (R). Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

SPHP finally got going again.\u00a0 The clouds were lifting, but even with the blueberry delay, fog was still ahead.\u00a0 The trail climbed steadily, steepest pace so far, but it still wasn’t all that bad.\u00a0 More and more open terrain appeared as the forest thinned out.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Beyond the blueberries, still climbing toward the fog. Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lupe never did reach the fog, which kept retreating up the mountain.\u00a0 The rate of ascent began to diminish.\u00a0 After going over a little lip, a broad grassy region rose gradually toward the NW, where a cairn was visible not too far away.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Getting close to the top! Photo looks SW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Approaching the cairn<\/strong> (L of Center). Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When Lupe got there, she found two concrete steps to nowhere a few feet SE of the cairn.\u00a0 The obvious true summit of Illinois Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,690 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, a 3 foot high rock outcropping, was 10 feet N of it.\u00a0 Two American flags protruded from the cairn, and 2 gnomes holding watering cans huddled together at its base, facing W.<\/p>\n

The cairn was hollow, and a white plastic bottle with an orange cap could be seen inside.\u00a0 Conditions were blustery here, with gray clouds scudding along only a little overhead, driven by a chilly SW breeze.\u00a0 A brief moment of triumph was endured by the Carolina Dog atop the true summit, after which SPHP retrieved the white bottle from the cairn, plus an intact Nature Valley granola bar from off the top concrete step, before retreating to the E side of the little summit ridge.<\/p>\n

Sitting down a bit below the summit’s crest, at least somewhat protected from the wind, Lupe clearly approved this maneuver.\u00a0 The granola bar, however, once opened proved to be a little stale.\u00a0 Evidently not up to high-falutin’ Dingo standards.\u00a0 Using her nose, Lupe started to bury her share of the prize.\u00a0 SPHP wasn’t so picky.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Arriving at the summit cairn in somewhat blustery conditions. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Success! At the true summit of Illinois Peak<\/strong>. Photo looks SSE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The registry bottle.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Open the bottle, SPHP, so you can sign the registry for me, and we can see what else might be inside.<\/em><\/p>\n

In addition to the registry, there were quite a few other items – a plastic snake, fake gold and silver coins, a 9-11 fraudulent event note left by someone who wasn’t overly impressed with former President Bush, and business cards left by Tom & Gail Randall, who had started this registry less than a year ago on 8-28-20 in memory of their friend Randy Oliver.<\/p>\n

The registry was an orange spiral notebook that barely fit into the white bottle.\u00a0 Lupe’s was only the 3rd entry after Tom & Gail’s.\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Conditions gradually improved.\u00a0 After a nice 40 minute long break spent sheltering by the little summit ridge, moments of sunshine and blue sky were becoming more frequent.\u00a0 Time to get up and have a look around!\u00a0 Still plenty of clouds, but they were higher now, making it possible to see the views.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
On the top concrete step to nowhere. Photo looks S.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Back on the now sunny true summit<\/strong>. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Exploring the grassy summit region, which was a good 2 acres in size. Photo looks SE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking SSE with a little help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gold Crown Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,374 ft.)<\/span><\/strong> was visible only a mile to the W.\u00a0 If Lupe had gotten an earlier start, she would have visited it, too.\u00a0 With a name like that, it had to be a peak worthy of an American Dingo’s presence!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Gold Crown Peak<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks W with help from the telephoto lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Returning to the true summit and venturing N, a second cairn was found only 25 feet away.\u00a0 Some of the best views were in this direction.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
At the true summit<\/strong> again. Photo looks NE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
True summit of Illinois Peak<\/strong>. Still breezy. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking NNW from the gnome cairn and true summit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Same view, but from the N cairn. Photo looks NNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

80 feet ESE of the gnome cairn was another rocky ridge not far from where Lupe had come up the mountain.\u00a0 This E outcropping was bigger than the one at the true summit.\u00a0 SPHP was surprised when Lupe found the Illinois Peak survey benchmark there.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Loop at the E rock outcropping. Quartz Benchmark<\/span><\/a><\/strong> (7,770 ft.)<\/strong> <\/span>(R). Photo looks ESE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Illinois Peak survey benchmark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Another angle. Photo looks ENE.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Looking SSW across much of the summit region.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A brief return to the true summit, and it was time to go.\u00a0 An hour and 20 minutes after arriving, Lupe headed back down the trail.\u00a0 Dark clouds still swept past now and then, but didn’t dampen the mood for long.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Final moments atop Illinois Peak<\/strong>. Photo looks WNW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Heading down amid the pom-pom plants. HP6760<\/span><\/strong> (Center) in the foreground beyond Lupe. Photo looks E.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Pom-Pom plants, or more scientifically, Pomus-Pomus planti<\/em>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The coast was clear!\u00a0 No flying flocks of bears!\u00a0 SPHP managed to tank up on blueberries again, despite Lupe’s disinterest.\u00a0 The American Dingo revisited HP6760<\/span><\/strong>, and got to see considerably more this time.\u00a0 The best part of the return, though, was a final satisfying look back at Illinois Peak<\/span><\/a> (7,690 ft.)<\/span><\/strong>, no longer shrouded in fog and mist.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Blueberry trap, round 2. Delicious!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Back at HP6760<\/span><\/strong>. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A fond farewell to Illinois Peak<\/strong> (Center). Photo looks W.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

8-8-21, 4:14 PM, 55\u00baF, Freezeout Pass<\/em> –<\/p>\n

That was fun, SPHP!\u00a0 Turned out OK, didn’t it?\u00a0 Just think, my first ascent of a peak in Idaho!\u00a0 Plus credit for a Montana ascent, as well!<\/em><\/p>\n

Yeah!\u00a0 Illinois Peak, didn’t disappoint, although it was looking iffy there early on.\u00a0 Glad the cloud cover lifted enough to get to see the views.<\/em><\/p>\n

Loopster was back from Illinois Peak early enough to enjoy an evening drive.\u00a0 Took a while to get back down to I-90 again at Superior.\u00a0 From there, it wasn’t far to St. Regis where SPHP left I-90 again, taking Hwy 135 down to Hwy 200 and Paradise.\u00a0 This was all new territory, and very beautiful.\u00a0 NW of Thompson Falls, Lupe took a sunset stroll featuring a look at the Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork river.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Noxon Reservoir<\/strong> from close to the Hwy 200 bridge over the Clark Fork river. Photo looks NW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dusk was deepening by the time SPHP parked the RAV4 at the Pillick Ridge trailhead a mile off Hwy 56.\u00a0 Illinois Peak had gotten Lupe’s Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast off to a great start!\u00a0 Dinner, then time to recharge for the next adventure tomorrow.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Illinois Peak<\/strong>, Bitterroot Range, Idaho\/Montana border 8-8-21<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Links:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Next Adventure<\/span><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Prior Adventure<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Want more Lupe adventures?\u00a0\u00a0Choose from Lupe’s Summer of 2021<\/span> Dingo Vacations to New Mexico, Wyoming & the West Coast Adventure Inde<\/strong><\/span>x<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, Dingo Vacations Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a> or Master Adventure Index<\/span><\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0Or subscribe free\u00a0to\u00a0new Lupe adventures<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/em>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Days 1-3 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast! 8-6-21, 7:51 PM, 52\u00baF –\u00a0 Like being in the movie Groundhog Day!\u00a0 4 weeks after her Dingo Vacation to Wyoming suffered it’s final coup-de-grace at this very spot, Loopster stood again up on the dolomite at High Park Lookout (9,477 ft.).\u00a0 … Continue reading Illinois Peak, Bitterroot Range, Montana\/Idaho Border (8-8-21)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37145,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1416],"tags":[105,1353,106,26,500,1493,104,417],"class_list":["post-37156","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-1416","tag-american-dingo","tag-bitterroot-range","tag-carolina-dog","tag-dingo-vacations","tag-idaho","tag-illinois-peak","tag-lupe","tag-montana"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/adventuresoflupe.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/IMG_1436-scaled.jpg?fit=1651%2C1238&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37156","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37156"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37156\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39215,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37156\/revisions\/39215"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37145"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37156"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37156"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adventuresoflupe.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37156"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}