Still signs of instability near Red Lake Peak

We started the day around 09:15 @ 7300'. Skies were overcast and gray. There was light winds down low but no signs of transporting snow. Along the way up snow surface below 7500' had a firm supportable crust on it. Traveling on up, snow surfaces did start to soften up and was not wind affected till above 8000'. As we got higher and higher the wind intensified and snow was transporting on the surface and by tornadoes of swirling winds. Small winds slabs were observed but nothing larger then a D.5. We had passed a skier who was coming down from above 9000' and had said wind affect was widespread and supportable above us. I stopped to dig a pit @ 8700' and had clear compression test results scoring CT14 Q1 on the graupel layer just below the surface and a CT21 Q2 on the Dec.11th weak layer. This was followed by two consecutive ECTP results on the Dec. 11th layer. Scoring ECTP12 and ECTP17. Around 12:30 skies started to clear up and the sun came out. This made for more visibilty of near by slopes and no other signs of instability was present. Wind transportion was continuing to occur on exposed slopes near and above tree line above us. On the way down snow was softing on sunny aspects, but was still frozen over in shaded areas as we got closer to the car.