So on my third try, I finally get this thing figured out, with help from a fantastic team: Chaitanya Sathe (assist), Lilly Xu, Kaitlin Rupert, Robert Sinnott, and Linda Musil.
The final puzzle of the headwall before the summit was solved, per the topo photo, after seeing another climber puzzling out the descent for a long time - on what he had just come up. The moat was 'in' on the snow crescent before the Fingertip Traverse, so no need to bypass on the ridge above. But this late in the season meant a whole lot of scree/boulders to deal with. Better done earlier I think.
But on August 24th, the memory of this trip was forever marred when Chaitanya fell on a 4th class descent at Smith and died on the scene from major head trauma. I only knew him from two trips, but like so many of his climbing friends, I feel lucky to have been graced with his ebullient presence in the wilderness. His passing leaves a void where I had imagined a long and enjoyable climbing partnership.
