Today is just a bit of not doing much. Got up and made coffee and oatmeal and found the sun; it was in the mid-20s overnight. Looked at more maps, more elevation profiles. Sorted through my food--probably too much for the six hiking days until I exit through Kearsarge Pass to Independence. Charged my devices with the solar panel in the sunny morning sunlight.
Around 11:30 two more hikers showed up, and they both wanted to head north, yay! Five Minute wanted a rest day, fine by me with this unsettled weather. Joko (again!) was eager to go. They got packages and we called up Grumpybears and headed down there for burgers and fries. A fine establishment.
Scott, who runs the KM General Store, returned from resupply in Lancaster, and updated us with the weather: more snow/rain on Friday, then clearing and warmer from Saturday on. The plan is coming together: take off on Saturday morning, the three of us, and head north. I will exit after five or six days to Independence, and maybe send some stuff home--like the ice ax, if I don't see the need to carry it.
With the food and the rest and the resupply, I feel fairly good that I'm prepared for the upcoming days. If not, if it's just not working, Cottonwood Lakes is a possible bail-out point. But I really don't think I'll need to do that. There's only one real hurdle, Forester Pass at 13,200 feet (and then Kearsarge Pass down to Independence.)
I'm happy to be going with others too. Makes me feel much much happier. We'll head north on Saturday morning and take it easy... no big 20+ mile days.
[Also, I won't have the opportunity to post anymore until I resupply in Independence. That will be sometime late next week--I'd guess Friday or Saturday. Don't send out the search and rescue, please!]