They’re like 80 cents, right? How could you not use them?

Check your airflow, that's usually what slows it down. Propping it up on a sheet of metal helps it breathe from underneath too.

but that's exactly when discussion matters most.

That part about your brain feeling as orderly as the display really clicked for me. It's like you used the strict, external rule of the hardness scale to quiet the internal noise. There's something about submitting to a clear, set system that stops you from overthinking. You're not making any choices based on feelings, just following the numbers. It forces a kind of focus that leaves no room for the messy stuff. Kind of brilliant, really.

Four years for a JMT permit sounds rough. I waited three seasons for a Mount Whitney day hike permit and it messed with my summer plans. I totally feel your pain about missing spontaneous trips. The lottery system makes it hard to stay flexible.