"Authorities believe Likely saw the lake and tried to take a more direct route to his destination - Outpost Camp - before falling."
Understanding that we'll never truly know what happened, this seems a likely scenario for someone with John's experience. If the XC was truly deliberate on his part, at least it takes some heat off the slabs. I still think it would be prudent to establish a reassurance barrier or two along the faintest areas, as Ken and others have suggested. I generally have a pretty good nose for trail but these slabs have tricked me out more than once, and apparently I'm in good company.
On the subject of the Rockwell shortcuts, I'd be curious to know more details for the one in this area. Bob described them to me once, but I can only recall the route from Bighorn Park to Outpost, and Trailside Meadow to Trail Camp. I'm drawing a blank on this section.
