Unlocking the Hades 2 Surface path is quite a complicated process, requiring a specific spell to unseal the wards in the Crossroads. Despite these wards being visible from the very start of the game, it takes a while to be able to unseal them since you need a specific incantation from Hecate – Permeation of Witching-Wards – and she'll only give it to you once you've met Hermes and learned of the Olympians' war in Hades 2.
Even with the witching-wards broken, the Surface isn't safe for a chthonic nymph like Melinoe, so you'll need another incantation from Moros – Unraveling a Fateful Bond – that lets you survive there. So, bearing all that in mind, here's how I was able to both unlock the Surface in Hades 2 and survive there so that you can battle your way to Mount Olympus.
