First day out skiing this season. Started skinning at about 1km up from parking lot at the first viewpoint. Conditions are thin but improve as you climb higher. HS of 30 at the waterfall and 60 at red heather hut. Large surface hoar on all aspects above 12m, at least 10mm in places. Snowpack is thin but well settled.
Weather
Took a temp at 3pm in the shade at it was +2. Suspect it got up to +5 at least on solar aspects in the afternoon.
Snowpack
Dug a test profile at 1350m on a W aspect near the red heather hut. HS of 60. Large surface hoar sitting on 15cm's of low density snow. The nov 21 crust was down 15cm in profile site, was 5cm thick, and was ski and foot supportive. Below the Nov 21st is a well settled rightside up snowpack to ground.