... Is this plan a recipe for utter disaster?
Probably not... especially with the weather forecast for this weekend. The thing that I find most helpful skiing in the mountain above Paradise is to occasionally look over your shoulder to the southwest and if you see any weather coming in. IF anything starts brewing just turn around and get off the mountain. For sure I prefer to be below Pan Point before any weather hits. Lots of folks been hurt taking this kind of advice lightly.
... Are there other locations that might be better for initiating him to summer skiing?
There is lots of great places to ski around Paradise but probably none easier to describe than the Muir Snowfield. The thing about the MS is that the snow quality many times varies a lot top to bottom, which can have a major impact on the skiing. So if you happen to be in it for the skiing rather than proving you can make it to Muir, you may want to stop and make a 500 or 1000 ft run or two instead of pushing on, if you start running into horrendous suncups or such other undesirable snow conditions.
Skins are unnecessary at this point...
Ahh... That's one of the things I love about backcountry skiing...
No rules.
There's so many "right ways" to do things.
The only time skins are unnecessary for me is when I am riding the lift or I am carrying my skis. And, being older than dirt, I try not to carry skis much, even in the fall, when it seems to be pretty much unavoidable. I certainly won't carry them when there is snow to travel on (unless the only route up is WAY too steep to skin) and I also find that skins are helpful in protecting the ski bases when stubbornly skinning over snow free terrain.
Now, of course, if I had some of Charles's super dooper waxless skis....
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