Jean, welcome.
I don't understand the "
I will be hiking with 9 other strangers unless I can get one more permit" part.
You can count on getting a permit when you walk-in. Based on the
unused permits numbers, dates in May for overnight permits have NEVER filled up, except Memorial Day weekend.
You will likely be able to get one on May 1 when people who won lottery permits who haven't paid for them will lose them.
Check online throughout the day on May 1. But even then, go on the trip, walk into the Visitor Center and ask.
By the way, in May, there may not be a store, but there will definitely be snow. I doubt people will be using the trail past the cables at that date. Instead, they use crampons and climb the snow slope west of the switchbacks.
