I'm finding descents to be dependent on proper gear, the ability to use your gear, and mental preparation. For me the latter is of considerable importance because of inexperience on steeper terrain, and traversing certain aspects of the terrain. It isn't as physically demanding but I find it more demanding in every other way. Good thing getting back down isn't optional!

Nope, we brought snowshoes but really didn't need them. We were able to boot our entire way up without much discomfort, minus some particularly strong wind gusts. The wind at the crater rim where the picture was taken was a constant probably 40 mph, which was a new experience for me. One lesson learned was to put on crampons either before or after the summit, but not at it. The wind is too strong and hands are too cold to make that work well. The weather, outside of the wind, was amazing. No precipitation, mostly sunny, though it did rain just about everywhere else!

Yeah, I'm actually going to buy another headlamp for a couple of reasons, mine doesn't have a great battery life, and it'll make it easier if people need to borrow gear.