I see that this hike still has a few more kicks in the pants for me.

After breaking camp I soon arrived at a trail junction with the Silver Creek Trail. My map showed a trail marked by dots that continued east as something of a shortcut to Geneva Lake. This map defines a dotted trail as unmaintained or historic trail. I was able to follow it easily through the next basin and up the next ridge. The problem was the map clearly shows the trail crossing the seasonal creek and heading downhill for a little before traversing left across several small drainages on it's way to Geneva Lake. That's what I tried when I lost the trail on the other side. Unfortunately the trail actually does the opposite and goes up before traversing to the east. So I struggled along for well over an hour before I decided to backtrack because my current route couldn't be correct. I found the trail again but had sort of lost my motivation after wasting so much energy and time. The trail to Geneva Lake wasn't that easy either. I made it but was beginning to worry about making an ascent of Hagerman Peak (13,841 ft). The clouds were forming quickly.

Sure enough after another mile and a half I was in the shallow basin under Hagerman's south slopes and the sky was filled with dark clouds. I rested a little and filtered some water and decided to skip the peak and move on. It was late anyway and I'd need the time to hike out on the Maroon Snowmass trail.

On my way to Trail Rider Pass I got caught in a hail storm that turned into a rain shower. It was violent enough that I draped my tent over myelf and my pack. It was a waste because the storm stopped shortly after getting under the tent. I was already wet and now my tent was too. Damn. I was relieved to be so close to Aspen. Soon I'd be done with these poorly maintained trails and rain. After the storm I ascended over the pass and down past Snowmass Lake to the Maroon Snowmass Trail. I hiked that until dusk and made camp at a convenient spot next to the trail.