You are both correct, thanks. I would love to take my wife sometime, just need to get a babysitter for the 4 little ones. Yes, $15 well spent. It's always nice to be out on a trail. Any trail for that matter.
As far as Whitney, I will see her next month. Going on an overnighter with my wife's brothers.
Yup, finding someone to take care of the kids is tricky! (We're farming out our 4 so that my husband and I can go up together next month.) Maybe, since you've done it 3x already, you could stay home with the kids & your wife could go up with her brothers? I wish my siblings were in good enough shape to do the hike with me...