Wednesday, January 18, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Oregon’s Santiam Pass is a winter wonderland
By Zach Urness
(Salem) Statesman Journal
SANTIAM PASS (AP)
— Winter has arrived in
Oregon’s mountains.
As such, it’s time for ski-
ers, snowshoers, snowmobil-
ers and sledders to find pow-
dery fun at Santiam Pass’
collection of sno-parks.
A seasonal permit of $25
will give you access to 11
different parks east of Salem,
along with the miles of trails
they provide access to.
Each park is different.
Some, like McCoy, are
havens for snowmobilers.
Others, like Maxwell, cater to
snowshoers looking for scen-
ery. Santiam is the place for
sledding, while Ray Benson
can’t be beat for cross-county
skiing.
There is, in a nutshell,
something for everyone,
reports the (Salem) Statesman
Journal.
Here’s a short breakdown,
ranked from lowest to highest
elevation, of what each sno-
park offers. The best way to
navigate sno-parks’ numer-
ous trails is to stop at Detroit
Ranger Station and pick up
a Santiam Pass winter rec-
reation map. Call ahead to
check hours: 503-854-3366.
The directions below
are from Salem; the area
can also be reached from
other cities on the west
side of the Cascade Range,
and on the east side, from
Bend.
(Always be prepared for
winter conditions when driv-
ing in the mountains.)
Maxwell Sno-Park
In a nutshell: A favor-
ite for snowshoers and
cross-country skiers, with
360-degree mountain views,
two snow shelters and a wide
collection of well-marked
trails ranging in difficulty.
Elevation: 3,700 feet
Activities: Skiing,
snowshoeing
Trails: Seven trails total-
ing 22.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy to most
difficult
Shelters: Mountain View
Shelter (on Mountain View
Loop) and South Maxwell
Shelter (on South Maxwell
Loop)
Amenities: Bathrooms
Usage: Medium to heavy
Directions: From Salem,
drive east on Highway 22
for 81 miles (3 miles before
Santiam Junction). Maxwell
Sno-Park is on the left and
has a narrow entrance to
a large parking area hid-
den behind a stand of trees
(across from Big Springs
Sno-Park).
Big Springs Sno-Park
In a nutshell: Wooded
snowshoe routes that lead
all the way to Lava Lake,
with snowmobile access to a
40-mile network of trails.
Elevation: 3,700 feet
Activities: Skiing, snow-
shoeing, snowmobiling
Trails: Five trails of 15.8
miles for skis/snowshoes;
40 miles of snowmobile trail
access
Difficulty: Easy to most
difficult
Shelters: None
Amenities: Bathrooms
Usage: Light
Directions: From Salem,
take Highway 22 east for
about 81 miles (3 miles
before Santiam Junction).
Big Springs is on right side
of highway (just across from
Maxwell Sno-Park).
Potato Hill Sno-Park
In a nutshell: Old-growth
forest and panoramic views
of Three Fingered Jack and
Mount Washington near the
top of namesake hill, on a
popular and fairly easy snow-
shoeing route.
Elevation: 4,200 feet
Activities: Skiing,
snowshoeing
Trails: Two trails totaling
6.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy to more
difficult
Shelters: None
Amenities: None
Usage: Light
Directions: From Salem,
take Highway 22 east 84
miles to the Highway 20/
Highway 126 Santiam
Junction. Continue east on
Highway 20 another mile to
parking area on right side of
road.
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Santiam Sno-Park
In a nutshell: Best-known
for the “snow play” area,
which includes a sledding/
tubing hill popular with fam-
ilies. Also provides access
to Pacific Crest Trail and
the backcounty area around
Three Fingered Jack.
Elevation: 4,800 feet
Activities: Skiing, snow-
shoeing, tubing
Trails: One trail of 1.2
miles that connects to the
Pacific Crest Trail into the
Mount Jefferson Wilderness.
Not marked beyond wilder-
ness boundary.
Difficulty: Easy
Shelters: None
Amenities: Bathrooms
Usage: Heavy, mostly
among sledders.
Directions: From Salem,
take Highway 22 east 84
miles to the Highway 20/
Highway 126 Santiam
Junction. Continue east on
Highway 20 for another 5
miles, passing the turnoff
to Hoodoo Ski Area, to the
parking area on the left.
Ray Benson Sno-Park
In a nutshell: The largest
and best-known sno park on
Santiam Pass, with views of
the surrounding mountains
and a large network of trails.
The favorite destination of
cross-county skiers.
Elevation: 4,800 feet
Activities: Skiing, snow-
shoeing, snowmobiling,
mushing (sled dogs)
Trails: Eight trails totaling
67.7 miles, with snowshoe-
ing/skiing (six), snowmobil-
ing (three), mushing (one)
Difficulty: Easy to most
difficult
Shelters: North Blowout
Shelter and South Blowout
Shelter
Amenities: Two rest-
rooms, warming hut, orienta-
tion maps, staging area with
snub posts for sled dogs
Usage: Heavy
Directions: From Salem,
take Highway 22 east 84
miles to the Highway 20/
Highway 126 Santiam
Junction. Continue east on
Highway 20 for another 5
miles. Turn right on Forest
Road 2690, which is the
entrance of Ray Benson
Sno-Park and Hoodoo Ski
Area. Continue past Hoodoo
another half a mile into the
Ray Benson parking lot.
Ikenick Sno-Park
One of the least-known
snowshoe routes on Santiam
Pass begins at this park.
Ikenick Sno-Park, just
off Highway 126, sits at the
fairly low elevation of 3,200
feet. Because of that, it hasn’t
gotten much snow since 2011
and consequently hasn’t had
many visitors.
That finally changed last
year and has continued into
this season — the snowiest
since 2001.
The Isaac Nickerson Loop
is 4.4 miles and climbs 472
feet, passing multiple view-
points of the Cascade Range
and dipping into snowy for-
est. It’s well-marked and
easy to follow.
Directions: From Salem,
head east on Highway 22,
past Detroit, to Santiam
Junction. Turn right onto
Highway 20/126 and then
continue straight on Highway
126 toward Eugene. At mile-
post 3 on Highway 126, turn
right at signs for Ikenick
Sno-Park. Coordinates: N44
22.422' W122 00.249'
Other Santiam Pass
Sno-Parks
Corbett Sno-Park:
Nine ski/snowshoe trails,
located east of Santiam Pass
and Hoodoo Ski Area in
Deschutes National Forest
off Highways 22/20; eleva-
tion 4,200
21
Obama
expands
National
Monument
ASHLAND (AP) —
President Barack Obama
has expanded the Cascade-
Siskiyou National Monument
in southwestern Oregon to
protect its rich biodiversity.
The expansion announced
Thursday adds about 48,000
acres to a landscape of
rich forests, grasslands and
shrubs that was established
as a monument in 2000. It
includes about 5,000 acres in
northern California.
Obama said in his proc-
lamation that the expansion
will create a landscape that
will connect vital habitat,
protect the watershed and
preserve the area’s extraordi-
nary biodiversity. The monu-
ment, originally 65,000 acres,
is home to rare plant and ani-
mal species.
Conservation groups and
Oregon’s Democratic U.S.
senators praised the decision.
Oregon
Public
Broadcasting says detractors
have expressed concern that a
larger monument would hurt
the region’s economy with
limits on logging and graz-
ing. The Oregon Cattleman’s
Association said in a news
release that the decision will
have a rippling effect on
ranchers, farmers and outdoor
enthusiasts.
One person,
over time,
can turn a life
around
Become a mentor for
a child in Sisters!
• Work with kids kindergarten onward
• Are you too busy to mentor?
Consider co-mentoring with a friend
or family member.
Learn more: 541-588-6445 or info@acircleoff riendsoregon.com
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