...
Also - when you went in May previously - that was/is still relatively early in the hiking season and generally requires some snow skills/experience in making decisions based on conditions as typically the switchbacks aren't 'open' yet due to snow and the chute is the main route up.
Yeah, it was all snow on the upper half, no switchbacks. Since my May dates this year for a solo overnight were all unsuccessful, I can only assume even May is being "fully booked" at this point.
