Attic Decking

I have finished the easy part of decking enough of the attic to more-easily maintain my AC and furnace unit, but have not designed around the challenging part yet. You'll be able to see what I mean after the first few pictures below:

There was plenty of clearance under the gas line, so creating a large zone near the entry was a matter of a couple easy cuts.

This offset step allowed me to leave the light fixture in its current location. It required cutting and notching a couple of 2x4s to provide clearance for a couple of wires. A half sheet of plywood covered the main span down to the tricky part.

The routing of these wires meant that it would be necessary to use two boards where the change of direction occurred.

There was an existing one-by near the vertical part, so that made for a natural stopping point.

Looking down from the top of the step-up. This is where I need to figure out how to make climbing, crossing, and descending significantly easier...

That 1x4 on the right is the only way to cross over to the AC unit at present. There are no hand-holds in the area, either.

 It doesn't seem that tall in this photo, but the step up from my plywood to the 1x4 is roughly two feet.

Another look at the current means of crossing over to the AC unit. If I were 12, it would probably seem fun to tiptoe across the balance beam and jump down on the other side. But, instead, I think I'll design a different solution that makes my older self feel safer and more comfortable. As always, dodging both power and low-voltage wires will be involved.