Cascade Saddle Around New Years Time

Hi, looking for a bit of insight on the cascade saddle from aspiring hut to dart hut. Safety is always number one so I wanted to check, what will the trail be like at that time frame? Will it be snow covered or will most of the snow have melted?
Also is it worth taking a rope? I have read there are some steep tricky spots on the way up to the saddle. Is it so that a rope would be helpful to climb up and then pull packs up? Also is camping on the saddle a bad idea? Too exposed?
And then finally what are your thoughts about hiking down to dart glacier. Camping and spending a day doing the the glacier, and then going back up thru aspiring hut to the car park, to get back to the car. Would that be doable, insane, or would I be missing on some great scenery around Dart hut and the Reese dart trail? Thanks in advance.
Also is it worth taking a rope? I have read there are some steep tricky spots on the way up to the saddle. Is it so that a rope would be helpful to climb up and then pull packs up? Also is camping on the saddle a bad idea? Too exposed?
And then finally what are your thoughts about hiking down to dart glacier. Camping and spending a day doing the the glacier, and then going back up thru aspiring hut to the car park, to get back to the car. Would that be doable, insane, or would I be missing on some great scenery around Dart hut and the Reese dart trail? Thanks in advance.