Got up early to head up above tree line before the weather. Trey from St Louis was too concerned about weather to continue, so we said goodbye. T-storms hit in the early afternoon, and we pitched tents.

Over saddle and down past Hancock Lakes to ghost town of Hancock. Then up and up over old railway bed. Storms hit just after noon and we put up tent as fast as possible at 11,800 ft. Huge lightning and thunder near tree line - quite scary.

After t-storm cleared out, we began seeing trail runners pass. They were racing in the High Lonesome 100. We packed up and headed down to the N Fork of Chalk Creek. Met up again with Trey who had taken off before the t-storm to get down below tree line.

Beautiful start from Monarch with low lying clouds. Dicey climb down snow cornice above Hunt Lake. Met Trey from St Louis at Middle Fork of the S. Arkansas. Began climb up to Chalk Creek Pass above Hancock Lakes. Found an avalanche debris field over trail as big rainstorm hit. We were all soaked to the bone and pitched tents in a stand of trees late afternoon. It rained all afternoon and night, so we stayed put.

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