Pineapple Basin 2/5

JPH and I attempted a chair peak circumnavigation on Saturday with a super early start.  Weather was not raining with visibility alternating from blue sky peaks to sub 50 ft fog.  Skinning into source late was super fast hardpack, one we started climbing there was a noticeable crust with slushy snow underneath, this was the general condition everywhere except in debris fields.  We attempted to climb the couloir up the west side of pineapple basin and ount the crust to hard for skiing but too soft for bootpacking, so revised the plan to go over pineapple pass.  At the pass JPH had a binding screw loose and we decided the snow was not worth continuing the tour so skied back to the car.  The crust was mostly supportive for acceptable turns with the occasional punch through.  We need some more fluff!