Sorry about your friend. I don't know if I posted about glissading, but I often do.
Personally, I think this is the most dangerous time of the year, for the next month....not the time, but the snow.
Glissading down the chute is roughly like jumping out of an airplane, in terms of consequences if things go wrong. People who don't have experience with technical gear sounds to mountaineers like someone saying "and do we need one of those parachute thingys? Where do we rent them?"
I have no idea of your experience, nor of your friend's. As I type this, I am sitting in my room in the Whitney Portal Hostel, looking AT THE CHUTE. There is a lot of snow up there.
From what I've been hearing from TR's it's in great shape for climbing. For those with skill and knowledge, it is the PERFECT time to do it. But it is a winter mountaineering trip, for all intent and purposes. melting snow, camping in snow, shoveling snow. COLD. Fun!
It should be said that if a person is not comfortable with such conditions, it can be truly miserable.
Do a little reading up on the issue of obtaining permits outside the lottery. You may be quite surprised how available they are, and a later date may suit your needs better.
Whatever you decide, good luck and have a fun trip.
