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Montana-Idaho Border

Since the nights are often calm, the smoke tends to settle, which sometimes affords a view of the sun during sunrise.

The Bitterroots are composed primarily of erosion-prone limestone, and massive scree fields have been left behind by now-melted glaciers.

Cross-country enthusiasts love the Bitterroots for its open alpine areas.

A huge tongue-shaped deposit of scree left behind by an ancient glacier. The glacier's terminal moraine is especially obvious: it ended where the treeline begins.

Homer Youngs Peak and Little Lake

More massive scree fields in the Bitterroots. Notice the blue sky: the first of it I'd seen in several hundred miles. It would get smoky again before it cleared up for good though.

These two were backpacking car-camping style. But at least they knew it - "Of course we could go lighter, they said, but we're going to hike in 4 miles, set up an extravagant base camp, catch some fish for dinner, build a nice fire, and drink whiskey."

This group, which I ran into just south of the Bitterroots, represents about one-third of the CDT's Northbound Class of 2007.

Looking east into Montana from near Lemhi Pass. I could not see a road, a ranch house, or even a herd of cattle from here.

Lemhi Pass, where Lewis and Clark first crossed over the Divide in August 1805 after following tributaries of the Missouri River from St. Louis. They were hoping that, when they reached the Divide, they would see a friendly landscape to the Pacific; instead they saw nothing but rugged snow-covered mountains.

This fire kicked up extremely quickly after an afternoon wind began fanning its flames.

A wind-swept Divide between Lemhi and Bannock Passes.

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