Quick report
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.
Snowpack
We found stable and somewhat damp snow conditions in the area, with no recent avalanche activity or red flags noted. The muggy and mild atmospheric conditions changed the week's nice powder into mashed potatoes overnight, but we were still able to find some pretty good riding conditions on upper elevation northeast facing slopes. We noted a thin rime-crust up high on lower angled and windward slopes.