QS, condolences again on Daphne. As you know, I just went through the same thing with our 16 YO black lab Shadow, and it's devastating. My solace (and my wife's) that night 3 weeks ago was vodka/tonic. A lot of it.
I normally wouldn't put too much emphasis on the lottery since it's typically only me on these higher altitude hikes, and a walk-in is usually available, but my wife and 10 YO daughter are coming with me this year. As opposed to another grueling dayhike, I submitted for a two-nighter for 6 this year. I doubt my wife will go higher than Trail Camp (she's quite prone to AMS above about 12K - Pike's Peak was re-christened Pike's Puke in her honor), but my daughter insists she's going to the summit with me. That should be interesting. She may surprise me though. At age 8 she hiked about 50 miles with us during a week in the Cascades, but that was all below 10K. One thing's for sure - if she makes it to Trail Camp for an overnighter, the marmots better beware. She'll make it her mission to domesticate every last one of them.
