I always get at least to the stash spot before I go to mines. Having to stair dance, imo, means an area is just flatout dangerous. And the lower levels of mines are like that. (Amazing armor and weapon availability withstanding.)
Plus, the "backside" of Mines that you sometimes can only access with one way ceiling hatches usually have lots of bad news on the other side.
I'm enjoying my melee run now though. Evolved into this +6 dex, -3 str, stealth, magic resistant, attuned to the shadows demon with claws. Add in some more evasion, mR and damage from items, and a +6/+12 artifact mace with rElec, rPoison, rN+, slay orc, and I've been able to ditch my armor entirely for 90% of fights. I can finally start working on my magic, which turns out to be surprisingly good and ready to level once I ditched main armor.
Too bad I didn't find this mace until long after mines, my life would have been a lot easier, pretty much all the way up until now.
Still, it's fun basically having 95% stealth guarantee with like a stealth skill of 5. My evasion is up to almost 30, as is my shield from all the heavy tanking times. I'm like this moving black shadow that generates inky darkness, has a somewhat insubstantial form, makes no sound, dodges like a ninja and pops out of darkness to clobber you with a mace.
Once I throw on my splint mail, I'm still rated as somewhat stealthy. With the darkness on top I basically get first choice in almost any encounter.
I think Daemonspawn have kind of spoiled me, they're so much more fun as a species to level than others.