Cooper Creek

Cooper Creek is a cross-country ski route in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Holy Cross Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail is short, about 0.37 miles, with a moderate climb of 142 feet from a starting elevation of about 10,533 feet to a high point of about 10,550 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.08 miles in, with a 17% grade. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station show January and February highs around 27 to 29°F with lows near 3°F and about 15 snow days a month. By June, snow days drop to about two, and July highs reach about 67°F, though the station sits roughly 800 feet lower than the trail. Cooper Loop, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.1 mile away, and The Woods, a mountain biking area, is just as close. Camp Hale Memorial Campground and Camp Hale East Fork Group Campground are both about 4 miles off, and the East Fork Arkansas River offers paddling at a similar distance.