April 28 was the latest I've ever attempted the winter route, and I can't day I recommend it this week. The weather was beautiful, but probably too beautiful. I started on trail at 7 am, 45 degrees, hit the Granite turnoff at 7:25, and got into snow around the one hour mark. At 8 am the snow in the chute was chunky from past avalanches but pretty solid, so I strapped on the MSR Ascent snowshoes and ascended up just to the left of the avalanche chute, sometimes dipping into it. (Don't ridicule me--I turn tail a LOT when things are sketchy and there was very little danger early on.) I saw footprints ahead of me crossing the chute, and was tempted, but didn't want to be coming back across the chute in afternoon sun.
I got above the chute maybe 9:00 and switchbacked upward, but it was sunny and getting warmer. At about 10:00, the sun blazing, the snow was getting too wet and unreliable. Trying to edge in was killing my 58-year-old knees, especially with every side-slip. And every snowball I kicked down rolled a long way and got bigger, so by 10:45 I turned around around at 5,200 ft in elevation. Every other time I've done this, in colder weather, I've plunge-stepped straight down the hill and fast. Lots of fun. This time, too steep and sketchy snow, and too warm, so I had to switchback down as well much of the upper mountain. Once I hit the trees, shoes off, and a normal descent. Back to the car after 5:48 on trail, where my car's thermometer said 86 degrees. Way too hot for snow to be remotely safe.
The trail itself was in good shape, but I strongly caution about the winter route this late in the year unless we have a few straight days of hard freeze, which I think is done for the year. But I'd also avoid the summer route for now.
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