Wish I had good advice. But it sounds like you have a solid plan. Strange you aren't running into a lot of hunters. That could be a hint you're not in the heavily populated elk area...even finding so much sign. It doesn't take many elk to make a lot of sign.

Where I hunt on the eastside there is always 5 to 10 elk hanging out around a swamp bottom. But it looks like 100+ elk should be in there. I have never in 15 years seen more then 10 elk in there throughout a single day.
I have been trying the westside that last 2 seasons. And found areas like you described. I just never see the elk.

To give you an idea on elk travel, which I'm sure you probably will already know as a normal elk routine. There is an elk herd by my house. They hangout in my neighbors property, then a day later they're two thirds of a mile away, then that same day they'll be another half mile away, then another half mile away...you get the idea. Within 2 days they'll make a 1 to 2 mile loop at times. The sign always looks very fresh and you can tell where they spend time and where they just travel. I would try and find regular travel routes and hunt that, let them come to you. Trying to hunt feeding elk is tough cause they're always watching.

I practice hunting these elk...they're in the skok unit so I can't actually hunt them. But I use them to help me understand westside elk and how they go about their travels.