Wow, I have NEVER seen such little snow on this trail in January! Usually I am trudging through feet of it towards the top. I probably could have done the whole thing in trail runners today though. 
To the balcony:
Mildly muddy on occasion, very teeny icy patches (easily avoidable) towards the balcony.
To the peak:
Creek crossings were doable today. One tree down that was easy to step over. Icy snow appeared in open areas after the first switchback, but quickly disappeared when re-entering the forest. I didn't put on spikes until 4,000 ft! From there, I certainly needed them; it would have been slow-going without them. Path easy to follow all the way to the top. Limited views to the north, but views to the west and south were decent! I was the first one up there and enjoyed it to myself. On the way down, I met only a few parties headed to the peak. Most of Seattle was heading to the balcony though.
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