They are that expensive, and you MUST meet them to receive the food. they cannot drop a supply somewhere for you to pick up and just leave. Without a sat phone, the chance of being late for such an expensive service would make this a pretty big gamble.
And there is one big reason I'd never use them: no way will I pay money to see even more horseshit on the trails.
Not sure why you would need a resupply to get up the back side of Whitney. With a decent sized bear canister. I can travel 10 days before I need a refill, which allows for a rather distant approach.
