User blog comment:Darkcloud1111/Mistakes in The House of Hades/@comment-24612258-20140326143749

Looking into Percy and Annabeth's escape, it is very difficult to imagine how Nico managed to do the same without assistance- he must have had help from someone. Bob holding the elevator switch does not equate to Di Angelo's near fatal run to get out. It takes a heavy object several days to fall to the bottom of the pit, so Nico would have to find another way, other than the elevator and a near vertical climb that would certainly kill him. Other than his shadow jumping abilities, Nico would need another route- a set of stairs might provide the only means of escape. also- elevators didn't exist in the ancient day, and it is believed that there is a set of stairs leading to the underworld.