With the short winter days I tried to get going early to allow nine hours on the trail if needed. Big Point still loomed above me and it took me another two hours to finally round it. I headed for the main arm of Stairway where I would drop my pack and dayhike down to the Redwall. It was straight forward with no obstacles at all until the Redwall downclimb which is tough solo. It is to the west of the fall and is down a crack in smooth redwall.
Packs have to be lowered.
I didn't make it, but did find a reasonable overhang and good pothole water. I was around to Willow Spring by nine am on Thursday. A beautiful place with good flowing water. I left my pack and dayhiked to the rim on the old Willow Spring Trail. Not much of a trail anymore except at the top and it is still a couple of miles more to a road.