Small Wind Slab Avalanche on Andesite Ridge

Started traveling up Castle Valley at 7:30. Very light to non existent snowfall and warming temps. Noticed a trace of new snow on the ground along the road in Castle Valley. New snowfall amounts varied from 0-3 cm's. Snowfall picked up slightly about an hour later and continued falling lightly until we left the area around 10:30. 

We broke from the Castle Valley road and made our way up the east side of Andesite sticking to the low angle slopes. We observed a 1-2 mm thick crust on all open unprotected slopes up to our high point of 8,150 feet. Crust was mostly unsupportable and we noticed cracking around our skis while skinning. 

We noticed blowing snow at all elevations. Winds were mostly light below treeline but we observed small amounts of wind deposited snow in unprotected areas. Winds picked up as we approached near tree line terrain as did the amount of blowing snow. Above tree line we found touchy wind slabs sitting on top of the previously mentioned crust layer. Kicking at the slabs revealed instability just below the crust. Test slopes were sensitive and easy to trigger. 

We went up to the ridge just below the summit of Andesite to kick at one of the cornices that had formed on a slightly larger test slope. A single kick released the cornice which triggered a small wind slab avalanche on the slope. R1D1 with a crown size of 3-6". The avalanche appears to have failed on the weak layer of snow identified just below the crust.