Lake Ann & Lower Curtis Glacier 

Sometimes the camera angle makes things look worse (sometimes the opposite). In this case I would say that the dropoffs weren't bad. While the trail from the lake to the glacier was rough and steep in places, overall it's in good shape. And only a couple of places where falling might be the end. But the trail is not difficult in those places though, so falling is unlikely. I actually have some fear of heights, although less than say 20 years ago, because of repeated experience with them. What is scary to me is all the climbers who go over that lower glacier and then climb almost straight up. It's a famous climb, climbers come from all over the world to go this way up Shuksan. Numerous videos here about that on youtube. Won't be one on my channel though, tbh the thought of trying to do that terrifies me.

Perhaps near where the trail starts the uphill switchbacks to the glacier. Also if you continue to the south of the lake a bit it seems like there would be adequate trees in there.

Lots of trees around, if you don't mind setting up on steep terrain you could go straight downhill (east) from the lake. The trees in this area mostly have branches low to the ground, makes it harder to tie around the trunk I'd guess.

They did at one time, but then they changed the requirements to be monetized, much harder nowadays.