Knowing which slopes never softened

The problem

It's tempting to assume any shaded, cooler-looking slope will be forgiving. Some crusts never soften at all, and a run that looks like it should be soft can turn out hard, icy, and unforgiving on the first turn.

Why it happens

Snow Quality's melt-freeze logic checks whether the pre-dawn temperature dropped below −0.5°C, marking an overnight refreeze. A crust that never receives enough sun to soften stays firm and icy; one with moderate sun turns to corn instead.

How to check it in First Chair

1. Check Snow Quality, not just Sun Exposure

   Shade tells you a slope stayed cold — it doesn't tell you what kind of cold surface is underneath.

2. Read the surface class specifically

   “Firm/icy,” “powder,” and “corn” are different outcomes that can all come from a shaded, cold slope.

3. Cross-check in Shoot/Compass mode

   Point the lens at the slope for a live read before you commit to the first turn.

4. Don't assume shade means soft

   Treat a shaded aspect as a reason to check the surface class, not a reason to assume the snow will be soft.