Navigation is tougher via the winter route. It is also far longer and way more challenging as the first part just goes straight up. I enjoyed the route in spite of that because it was far less driving! I've stayed in the lookout as my dad rented it for my birthday one year so my mom, kids, and I stayed the night. It was the one crappy weekend that whole summer, but we still had fun. I've been there three to four times. The last time it was to take my husband to the lookout, and we camped at a turn before the trailhead which was on the winter route as we recognized it. It is gorgeous up there!