I really had no business leading a trip to Ray Benson SnoPark.  I hadn't been there in years and didn't really remember the trails.  But NOAA promised 40 degrees and a cloudless sky; perfect for skiing on Big Lake, which is what I really wanted.  And it was perfect.  There's just something about gliding across this seemingly endless, white, horizontal surface while looking at the mountains.

More importantly, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the forest around Ray Benson is not very dense.  This is perfect for off-trail skiing as there are only a few places where it is difficult to pick your way through the forest.  The primary area that is dense with trees is along the Pacific Crest Trail, so it is important to find a path to cross this area when skiing east-west.  And this day it was essential to ski on the crust between the trees, as the trails were all complete ice and dangerous.  We only skied maybe 40 yards total on the designated trails.  Out on the crust, the snow was soft enough for kick and glide.  In total we skied 6.3 miles with only 250 feet of elevation; pretty pleasant!