We approached via USA bowl and walked north along the ridgeline, traveling between 8800' and 9900' on a variety of aspects. Skies were clear with light winds from the NW. Large grain surface hoar was present in the valley bottoms (see video and photo), but we didn't observe it above 8800'. Solar aspects were crusted or bare (it was nice, at least, to smell sage while skinning). We dug a number of hasty pits on N and E between 9200' and 9800' and found height of snow between 45 and 60 cm, with hand hardnesses of fist and fist minus. A decomposing crust was present midpack in our E pits but was spotty to nonexistent in our N pits. The crust could be easily identified with a ski pole and had a trap door effect where present; it was not supportable. The snow was unconsolidated and we felt the bottom when skiing a NNE facing slope. The faceted snow made for good skiing in spite of the thin cover, but travel to and from was rugged. In short, we found facets throughout the entire snowpack from W through N through E above 9000'.