I meant to reply sooner, but I wanted to try that route first before saying anything definite.
It turns out the earlier start really did help, mostly because the path stayed quiet for almost the whole first half. I kept expecting the usual cluster of people near the split in the trail, and somehow it never happened. By the time I reached the overlook, the clouds had moved enough to make everything feel brighter and less flat.
I also took your advice and packed lighter, which made a bigger difference than I thought. I always bring too much and end up annoyed with myself by the second hour. This time I stuck to the basics, drank more water, and actually enjoyed the return instead of rushing it.
If you want, I can go again this weekend and test the other loop. I am curious whether it feels less steep from the opposite direction, because yesterday it seemed manageable until that last stretch.

I finally organized that cupboard we kept ignoring, and it was stranger than I expected because nearly everything had drifted into the wrong spot over time.
I started with the top shelf and found three notebooks, a measuring tape, and that little tin we thought had disappeared last spring. Once I stopped trying to sort everything perfectly, the whole task got easier. I grouped things by how often I actually reach for them, which now feels obvious, but apparently I needed an entire afternoon to learn that lesson.
The surprisingly useful part was labeling the smaller containers in plain handwriting instead of trying to make them look neat. It ended up saving time because I stopped reopening boxes to check what I had done five minutes earlier.
So yes, your simple method worked better than the complicated one I was inventing in my head. If you come by later this week, I think you will immediately notice the difference.