What's the approach to Suicide like? Switchbacks? Intense uphill slog? Meandering trail?

Not as long or strenuous as Tahquitz. The trail is well defined.

It's not bad at all compared to Tahq'. Park where everyone else is at. Find the well defined trail going down to the river, cross it and hit a road. Hike up the road until it turns to well marked trail. When you get closer to the base of it is a little more steep with switchbacks/rocks but still easy to follow...

It's intense, I highly recommend you consider o's buddy...

I do recall intense amounts of bushwhacking and a difficult river crossing. From there we roped up and ascended to the top of the glacier where we established a high camp. We spent a week at the saddle waiting for the weather to allow a summit push, but were forced to retreat when our porters mutinied (several of them were half-buried by avalanches on two different occasions)

But yes, it's easier than the approach to Tahquitz. The Suicide glacier has far fewer crevasses.

You should probably be able to CRUSH 5.7 before attempting the approach to Suicide.

In 72, my first time on Tahquitz, I had a hell-ova time on both trails by 75 both trails were fairly well defined... Its easy to get lulled into screwing around and having to find your way down in the dark, ymbn's (new-bee's) will find this most unfriendly as you lose the trail and start to glissade to the bottom.

probably the steepest part is the paved road.
actually, it's a shorter version of the trail to Tahquitz.