Welcome back! I'm thinking of attempting Williamson next week, looking forward to your pictures and report!
How was the snowfield just before Shepherd's pass? I've been watching it slowly get smaller and smaller on caltopo's weekly satellite imagery; do you need micro-spikes/crampons to cross it?
Short snow crossing wasn't really any problems if you went slow and kicked some better boot tracks as needed. I did it in afternoon with soft snow going up and down in the morning with it just starting to be a little soft from the sun. Both times with plain boots. I had microspikes, but didn't want to take the time to put them on on the way down (that could have been my epithet).
5 people followed me once I paved the way by not dying.
