My husband and I will be doing the HHH for the 3rd year in a row. Last year we did not make Hell's Gate because they closed it SO early. If we had not stopped at the rest stop before Hell's Gate we would have made it! We will not be stopping at that rest stop this year. We also start toward the front of the crowd. We have not had to wait an hour to get rolling, but this year they may prevent us from starting so far up. The reststops have water, gatorade, pickle juice, oranges, bananas, and cookies. We also take a peanut butter and honey sandwich, powerbars, paydays and some powdered gatorade to mix our own. Theirs does seem to be too weak. We don't usually stop until the 3rd or 4th rest stop.
We are staying with one of the host families this year. We waited too long to try to get a hotel room. So this will be a different experience.
HAVE FUN!!