My wife and I made it to Trail Crest yesterday (July 9). We took the switchbacks up and down, at least everywhere they are not covered with snow. Would have made it to the Summit, but my legs were cramping my up and I had a big headache (should have prepared better with better fitness and acclimatization). My wife could have easily continued to the summit, but chose to stay with me.
The trail through the cables is passable, but some people will not feel comfortable, and we met one man who turned around because he felt it wasn't safe. My wife and I and 2 others made it without too much trouble, but it is something that I feel should be decided individually... in person. There are also a couple of other snowfields that cover the trail, but in all cases these can be bypassed by scrambling around them, if you don't want to cross them. My wife and I crossed them, but near Trail Crest we bypassed the snow and went straight up to the ridge.
Other things to note... water crossings are a bit of a time sink... we removed our shoes 4 times each way. There is still a lot of snow, and even though we found the switchbacks, it was after hiking on snow for probably about one mile (felt like more). It was pretty warm on the trail and I didn't use the pants and jacket that I brought, but my wife used hers and was glad to have them. We used microspikes and trekking poles and those seemed suitable for our route choices. Oh, and there are a few spots where bugs are an issue, so I recommend bringing repellent. My wife got bit about 10 times - through her shirt and her pants !!
I took pictures and I can post them later today when I get home if people are interested.
We had an amazing day and I am so glad that we came! The scenery along the trail is just stunning, and we saw deer, marmots, pikas, and even a sage hen and her chicks.
Be safe up there. I like what it says at the Portal, something to the effect of... It's more important to return home safely than to make it to the summit.
