laguy442, can't visualize the exact spot you're referring to, but that backside of the crest does have some exposure in places. A stumble or loss of balance in the wrong spot can have disastrous consequences. I recall someone accidentally going over the side along here within the past couple of years - dry terrain, but fatal fall. Many first-timers wig out about the windows, but these have never struck me as particularly exposed (icy conditions, high winds excepted).
Could the presence of snow possibly have affected your perception of exposure? A great example of this is the long, last switchback meandering to Trail Crest. It traverses the snow chute that's used to ascend in winter conditions, rather than the switchbacks. In dry summer conditions, you probably won't even notice this trail traverse as it passes over the chute. Add a couple of inches of snow and it terrifies many.
Congrats on your summit!
