Saturday July 12, 29.3mi/47.2km

Ridge above Square Lake (718.0/6240ft) to Graves Peak saddle (687.4/7220ft) (ID/MT) + 0.5 to Illinois Peak, -1.8 skip Joe Lake

Today was more hiking on the Stateline Trail, which transitioned from a road to a singletrack trail halfway through the day. It was pretty dry up on the ridgeline so I was happy to see a little roadside spring.

It was just nice easy walking all morning, and I had an occasional view when there was a burned area or clear-cut.

Occasionally I would cross a dirt road coming up from the valley, which meant some signage for the drivers. Apparently I’m still in Idaho Panhandle National Forest…. The same forest I started in up at the Canadian border.

This bird was cool, it was just strutting around the road, I think it was guarding some young chicks or something.

A preview to one of my upcoming climbs, I even saw a little bit of snow up there.

The road mostly contoured around 6,500 ft elevation, and the wildflowers were in full bloom here.

By late morning the road had ended and I continued on a nice single track trail.

Which climbed up and up onto a ridgeline over 7,000 ft.

From way up there I had views down to some nearby Alpine lakes on the Montana side. I think those are the Cliff Lakes.

Aside from the bugs being kind of bad, the day was generally quiet and enjoyable on a nice ridgetop trail.

Lots of little Alpine lakes today, they were only for viewing, most of them had no trails or were not easily accessible. These are the Bonanza Lakes.

It definitely wasn’t hot up here at over 7,000 ft, but it did feel nice to be out of the strong sunlight.

I came to Cascade Pass, which seemed to be a popular crossroad and trailhead, there were half a dozen cars parked there. And more signs.

Looking down to Missoula Lake, I wish one of these lakes was closer to the trail so I could go for a swim. I crossed the road and continued on the Stateline Trail, which apparently is a National Recreation Trail.

Looking below to the Oregon lakes:

I had been steadily but slowly climbing since I left Cascade pass, and now I could see my high point ahead of me, Illinois Peak.

The wildflowers, and the monarch butterflies, were really quite the spectacle today.

Somehow a trail goes up that mountain.

Then a half hour later I stood at the top of Illinois Peak, the back side of the mountain was actually gently sloped and had a nice trail to the top. I took a little break on the summit and enjoyed the strong breeze which kept the bugs away. As I was signing the summit register, I noticed the name on the pen.

Pretty nice views from the 7600 ft Summit.

As the sun dipped lower in the sky it started getting a little chilly, I continued another mile down the main trail and set up camp in a protected saddle.

I’m camped pretty close to the trail but there’s no way anybody is coming down this trail other than ICT hikers, and there are only like a dozen of us in any given year.