When to Go, When to Go?

I've been looking at my schedule and have narrowed down when I will likely do this backpack to the last two weeks of July. As of now, I plan on doing the trek over around 8 days. This will be quite a bit less miles per day than I did back in 2010 and 2011 - by design, as I want a bit of an easier pace this time around. I was in Salida a week ago, and the looks of the high country which I'll be traversing on this hike still look pretty snowy, so I am figuring that by later July the snows will be much thinner. I must admit, I am beginning to feel some excitement for getting out there. Seeing photos like this one that I took in 2010, looking up into the high Collegiates where I'll be hiking, sure makes me itch to be out there in that high thin air.