Strong NE wind scouring and blowing snow on Andesite Peak

We were out for a full day today for an AIARE 1 avalanche course in the Andesite/Castle Valley area.  NE winds began to increase late morning and continued to gain strength blowing snow in near and above treeline terrain visible from Castle Valley.  4'' of new light density snow at the trailhead increase up to 5+'' above 7500'.  We dug a snowpit at 7800' on an E aspect.  Snowpack tests showed limited results with good bonding of the new snow/old snow interface.  As we ascended up to 8000' on Andesite Ridge, the NE winds had already scoured most exposed and steeper NE-E aspects back down to the previous firm rain crust.  Small wind slab development with shooting cracks and newly forming wind pillows were encountered on SE-S aspects.  These small wind slabs did not pose an issue for travel on these small terrain features, but did make us discuss what may be happening on similar larger avalanche terrain.