Attempting to better learn the lay of the land, we rode the Willard Peak Rd from Mantua up into the Perry Reservoir Area... Unfortunately, cloud cover obscured the upper elevation slopes, and we didn't get the views we'd hoped for.

The mild temperatures and moist air is changing the properties of the upper layers of the snowpack across the region, perhaps creating a more cohesive slab structure on slopes that were loose, light powder last week.. In addition, the initial warming of a winter snowpack will cause an increased creep rate of the upper layers, and it can soften hard wind slabs, making them more sensitive to our weight. It is logical to assume therefor, that In areas with poor snow structure and existing persistent weak layers, this weekend's warm-up could well be causing the danger of triggered avalanches to increase.