Lastly after maxing out the jump skill, I was somehow able to perform a super bounce that gives you maximum upwards momentum for a bit, which at the max height can sometimes take you all the way up to the ladders and shields section.
It was a bit inconsistent how high I needed to be at first, but I found a somewhat reliable method if you need to test for bug.
- Max out the height of your first bounce
- Then climb up to the first crab and get on the crab's raised pincer
- Jump off and try to land on the ground while spamming the jump button
- Most of the time I got the super bounce from this height, or by jumping off a higher part of the stage and avoiding all the platforms on the way back down to the ground.