Ya! Calypso! Funny you remembered his name and I remembered the birds.
I really like that connector trail that leads back up the south side.
I heard from Mike (Iron Mike) that you will soon do that Las Flores Ridge as the start of a longer hike. I have been walking up the Sam Merill Trail a lot lately and have noticed some lost soles across the canyon screaming as they went up and wondered where the heck they were headed and why up there.

When he told me your plan I had to go and check it out. When I got to the gate at Lake some lady walked up a ridge north right away before the gate. I had no idea where the start of the ridge was so I just walked up to the north of the usual long paved section. There is a messed up paved path that winds up the canyon and passes this huge low profile structure and that's where the steps start. I went up there only to see that lady up ahead and realized that her trail joins the main ridge.
She turned back just before those power line towers and I went on. It's hard up to that point but then it in my opinion the last part gets dangerous. Slippery lose stuff.
I don't like it. My heart was beating faster more because I was scared than from how hard it was.
I think the way she went is less fun. Those steps are really cool!
A couple of times I stopped and imagined if there was a line of hikers in front and in back of me. There's gonna be stuff falling on everybody. There are steps cut but they are all filled with loose gravel. Everything you try to hold on to just pulls away. And it just goes down. And again it's not only steep but it's steep on each side too! People who like this are nuts I tell you. What's wrong with you people??

Somebody is gonna get dinged if you hike close together. I did notice a side trail that goes to the left just before the last steep part. It looks like it joins the Millard Canyon paved road which goes back up to where you would have been if you stayed on the ridge. You will see it.
I recommend going the way I went so you can see those steps. Pretty crazy!