If it's one thing I've learned in them there mountains - there's a big difference between rock climbing/etc at altitude or with major exposure, and driving up to the crag at JT and doing a pitch or two. The scree in the chute up to the notch is a pain, but not that dangerous. The final 400 has plenty of reasonable options. I think, the more you get out up high, the less scary this will seem. That's how it went for me and my partners.