I think both weekends would work for me....but I'd probably lean towards the 8th. I travel for work on Monday the 17th....so a long weekend before a business trip is always tough.
December other than the last weekend of that month? The lack of winter conditions has chained my interest in the higher elevations. I'm about ready to come down for a while... Thinking more along the lines of just a long day for Fishers and the Mesa instead of two days down there, probably with a pre-dawn start.