Gaiters will help. I was wearing full-length gaiters, but I was also wearing approach shoes. No mesh on them, but still lightweight so they were soaked by the time we returned to Trail Camp. If you have gaiters and your shoes are moderately insulated or treated, then you should be able to stay dry.

Steve, the really packed parts were still packed and solid later in the day, but the corners on most of the switchbacks and the switchbacks higher up were getting really soft. Still manageable with good use of the poles, but I was sliding around a little bit. I wonder if it's drifts coming in overnight and covering up the packed snow.

As far as why people were turning around, I don't mean to question or minimize people's caution, because it's certainly needed on this mountain, but the trail reports we were getting on the way up Saturday didn't always mesh with our trail experience. Reports consisted of one of three things mostly:
1) Summitted with microspikes with no problem, but the exposure is high.
2) Turned around on the switchbacks due to lack of traction.
3) Turned around after Trail Crest due to ice/sliding around.

Our report would be #1, but I certainly understand #2 if you start late in the day or just don't feel comfortable. #3 didn't make sense to me though. I personally found that if you can make it up the switchbacks, the rest of the trail should be manageable. Granted, I don't know what the back side is like late in the day now, and the exposure is very high in some spots, but it was the most solid snow we encountered all day, and that should be the case if you start early.

So in my opinion, microspikes, trek poles, an early start, and a little caution should be sufficient in current conditions as of 10/25. Obligatory CYA: don't hike beyond your experience and comfort. FWIW though, two in my group are snow travel beginners, and intermediate would probably be generous for me, and we never felt in over our heads.

Bottom line, your experience will really dictate how it goes. We saw a guy in nothing but mesh Aasics going over Trail Crest no problem, but we also saw plenty of people with microspikes turning around.