Parked in the Shadows of History

I took this photo yesterday morning at our overnight parking spot in the Ray Benson Sno-Park on the Santiam Pass.  As you can see we are parked in the shade, but we were also over-shadowed by Hayrick Butte and Hoodoo Butte the two volcanic formations in the background. I am always amused when I see these two buttes together and remember that I once read that they probably had their names switched by some hapless cartographer. I was also reflecting on the person of Ray Benson, he never let the inconvenience of a artificial leg stop him from a successful business career in Salem, or keep him from enjoying the outdoor adventures of snowmobiling.  This large Sno-Park is a wonderful tribute his influence to winter recreation.  In the Santiam Pass Area, the Oregon Department of Transportation has 9 Sno-Parks set aside for winter recreation (link). In past years I have enjoyed x/c skiing out of most all of them.  But now, I find them quite handy for another use, overnight parking with an RV. Void of snow and ice, they set idle from now until winter, large level parking lots, great for an overnight parking spot. So, here is a tip for fellow RVers, consider a Sno-Park on your next trip through the Cascades.  You can't beat them for convince or cost. On this six-day trip, we spent four nights in campgrounds, our night here was by far the quietest.