Did you try going up the switchbacks on the main trail instead, or were you set on that shortcut too? I got caught in almost the same spot a few Novembers back and what saved me was just slowing way down and staying on the main trail even though it adds time. The ice under that thin snow is the real problem, you can't see it and your feet just go out from under you. I started carrying microspikes on every fall hike after that, not crampons, just the little ones you can pull on over your boots in ten seconds. The dry lower trail fools you into thinking you don't need them, but once you hit that shaded section above the lake it's a totally different world. Forty minutes saved isn't worth a broken ankle and a helicopter ride, just take the long way and enjoy the view.

Living near a farm myself, I've watched plenty of stuff at night that made me question my own eyes, so you're not crazy for wanting a second opinion on this. That four minute dark sit is the part that would bug me too, since even a battery swap on a racing quad takes maybe 30 seconds tops, not that long. Maybe set up a cheap trail cam pointed at that field next time and see if it catches anything the monocular misses.