Personally, I think you guys decided to run the Rubicon the best time of the season, warm but not hot, and hardly anyone else. If you chose earlier like in the middle of the summer, it'd be pretty hot and more people running the trail. If you chose earlier in the season...like May or Jun, the trail would be still covered with some snow. Trying to climb wet rocks wouldn't be much fun... You'd have to hook up your winch every time you see moderately large rocks... I can't imagine how frustrating that would be...