TF, as you say it would be nice to have the hard part of the hiking in the beginning of the day, as opposed to it being the other way around when you hike to DCHS. It is worth the effort of course This idea is why I do enjoy hiking in my local desert beautiful mountains, north eastern Apple Valley, because when I go there I get the more hard part of the hike done in the beginning, so my hike home is all downhill at the end of the day. Where I hike, I can often see Round Mountain just off east off the Bowen Ranch, thinking to myself I would like to be down some where in Deep Creek where I always have a great time