We took the right way this time, 5 hours from car to goat flats. Sustained, althougt not bad, bushwacking. Cliff bands can be got through by going right, they are not continious. would not want to decend in the dark!! The snow traverse is STEEP and EXPOSED, if youu don't have lots of exrearence on snow, (me) this is not the route for you. I wimped out. We had planned to bivy, so we hiked out the trail and spint the night at the trail head. The road march took 3 hours. Totaly worth going u[p there just t see the medows in bloom and the views. The aproach will keep the masses out, we saw nobody. Saw one car when we got back to the washout. I will take my bike with trailer the next time i go. As the daylight gets shorter the bike may be better for a one day trip. When I go again I will plan on a bivy. Bubba is very active in that area, so keep that in mind if you are planning to bivy at the car.
The WTA website says the Medow Mountain trail is hopeless.