It looks like everyone is using a single glissade trough this year. They should branch out and try different ones. Eventually using the same groove will melt it down to rocks, and then using it will be painful and dangerous.
Many people would prefer to use the switchbacks, so a few hardy souls will go up as far as they can. If it's too tough, they bail and move west to the "chute" (actually the snow slope). At some point, people will succeed all the way on the switchbacks, and lots of people, then most people, will take that route. I think it's a word-of-mouth message that is passed among hikers sharing notes in Trail Camp.
If there is too much snow on the switchbacks to make them unusable, then there will be enough snow on the slope to climb up and glissade down.
