Quick report
We dug three pits on our way up: two at 8,965' on E and N aspects, one at 9,625' SE. The E and N pits had buried surface hoar 2-2.5' down and facets 3 feet down. We had ECTN 30 and ECTN 27 on the surface hoar. In the south facing pit we had an ECTP23 on facets 2 feet deep, that formed mid-feb, similar time to the surface hoar layer in shadier pits.
At 8,965' we measured 20" of new snow = 1.5" SWE, at 9,725' we measured 22" = 2.0" SWE.
Wind was light to moderate, lightly transporting snow. Temps warmed a lot in the afternoon, snow surface started to get denser and have an upside down feel in places, moist on lower elevations and southerly mid-elevation southerly. The trail out was soggy and almost sticky, but decent travel.
We saw natural, small dry loose and a shallow storm slab. We triggered a few small dry loose in the trees below 8,800' in the afternoon. Short running, but some were fairly deep, 12-16", entraining more of the new snow than the natural dry loose from earlier because the new snow had warmed and got slightly moist and denser on top. Natural rollerballs and pinwheels occurred below sunny cliffs in the afternoon.