Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Leadville

Nightmare On Baldy

Nightmare On BaldyPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
2.4 mi
distance
769 ft
climb
11,470 ft
high point

Is Nightmare On Baldy open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Nightmare On Baldy is a cross-country skiing route in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Dillon Ranger District. The route is about 2.4 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 769 feet, and it rises from roughly 10,690 feet to about 11,470 feet. The steepest stretch comes at about 0.9 miles in, where the grade reaches 15 percent. Winter is the natural season for this route. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station, at a similar elevation, show January highs around 27°F with lows near 3°F and about 15 snow days. By June, highs reach about 61°F with only a couple of snow days. The Trail of Tears and the B&B Mine Trail both start within a few tenths of a mile, so it's easy to pair this route with a hike. The Blue River, about 2.9 miles away, offers canoeing, and Michigan Creek Campground, about 7.6 miles off, is the closest place to camp.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Breckenridge Area

    Campground

    Campground · 2.3 mi from the trail
  • Eat after

    Traverse Restaurant and Bar

    Restaurant

    On your way back · 2 mi

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Jeremy Olson, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Leadville

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Nightmare On Baldy

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    2. Feb

      29° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    3. Mar

      35° / 8°

      14 wet · 14 snow

    4. Apr

      40° / 15°

      13 wet · 13 snow

    5. May

      49° / 25°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    6. Jun

      61° / 34°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    7. Jul

      67° / 40°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      64° / 39°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      58° / 32°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    10. Oct

      47° / 21°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    11. Nov

      35° / 11°

      12 wet · 12 snow

    12. Dec

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Climax, CO, 12.9 mi away at 11,344 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

B&B Mine TrailPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

B&B Mine Trail

Next door

Short, beginner-friendly Colorado ski tour near historic mining area.

Southern Cross TrailPhoto: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)

Southern Cross Trail

~2 min drive

Southern Cross Trail is a 0.94-mile route in Colorado with 407 feet of elevation gain.

Hoo Doo Voo DooPhoto: Pbritti, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Hoo Doo Voo Doo

~4 min drive

1.67-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 472 ft of elevation gain.

Troll ForestPhoto: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 au (via Wikimedia Commons)

Troll Forest

~5 min drive

1.01-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 75 ft of elevation gain.

Mount Baldy RoadPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Mount Baldy Road

~2 min drive

Moderate 2.74-mile road-based ski tour in Colorado with steady climbing.

BreckenridgePhoto: 좀비 브렌다, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Breckenridge

~8 min drive

Breckenridge is a ski area in Colorado with 35 lifts, 128 runs, and 3,256 ft vertical drop.

TurksPhoto: QKC, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Turks

Next door

Short, beginner-friendly Colorado ski trail perfect for quick winter outings.

Preston Way RoadPhoto: Pbritti, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Preston Way Road

~3 min drive

Preston Way Road is a 0.68-mile route in Colorado with 148 feet of elevation gain.

Shock HillPhoto: Bidgee, CC BY-SA 3.0 au (via Wikimedia Commons)

Shock Hill

~5 min drive

0.61-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 215 ft of elevation gain.

Gold DiggerPhoto: Thomson200, CC0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Gold Digger

~6 min drive

Gold Digger is a 0.33-mile trail in Colorado with 67 feet of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors