Top hat loop

Surprisingly poor skiing on the Top hat loop today. Barley frozen rain crust for the first 3-400m elevation gain up from the car park that tapered out to what we thought was just solar & wind crusts but ended up being a full temp crust right up to 2600m over the col even onto the North shaded aspect. Made for difficult skiing with 30-40cm of good storm snow capped by 1cm firm breakable temp crust. Solar aspects had pretty decent melt freeze on them, the day was hot in the sun. Felt like April. Low down the temp crust was breaking down from the days warmth but then just made for wet hooky skiing. Saw a few parties that might have gone to the slide path and hopefully the sun broke down the crust better there. Wouldn't recommend the area and hoping it might be isolated to just Emerald zone.