Thanks for this report rdev! I'm glad to see someone posting a report that is more like me: a "fair weather hiker". It is very refreshing to see something that contrasts the reports of people just walking right up the chute with microspikes and then glissading back down without a care in the world, when these people are either very experienced or very risky (and consequently very lucky).
I have a July 17th day hike reserved, and I am very worried that the switchbacks will not be passable by then. The most winter trekking I am prepared to do is microspikes along any sketchy parts of the trail that still have some snow/ice left. As someone that is day hiking (and is fairly lightweight), I also don't want to have to carry a lot of extra gear to make all of the (normally shallow stream) "river" crossings. I will do that if I have to, but if the chute is the only route up, then there's no point in my going. I was hoping this past week's heat wave would have melted a lot off, but it sounds like that is not the case at all, and with temps cooling back down again for at least the next week, the forecast is not looking good for open switchbacks.
