Colorado · Cross-country skiing

Pole Creek

Pole CreekPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1.0 mi
distance
66 ft
climb
8,775 ft
high point
Easy
difficulty
Jun–Aug
best months

Pole Creek is a short, easy cross-country ski route on Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado, a non-governmental organization-managed property. The trail is just under a mile long, with a low point of 8,654 feet and a high of 8,775 feet, and it is rated easy. The climb is gentle, with a total gain of 66 feet and a loss of 90 feet over the course of the route. The steepest stretch comes at about a third of a mile in, with a grade of 14 percent. The route sits close to two other cross-country ski areas, Tabernash and Biathlon, both about 0.1 mile away. Winter is the natural season for skiing here. Typical averages from the nearby Fraser weather station, at a similar elevation, show January highs around 31°F with lows near -1°F, while June and July run in the low to mid 70s. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route, so temperatures on the trail run slightly cooler. Nearby, the Grand County / Fraser Valley climbing area is about 2.7 miles away, and St. Louis Creek Campground is about 5.4 miles off. The Fraser River, about 6.8 miles away, offers paddling, and Byers Creek Campground is about 7.5 miles away.

Local outfitters

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

  • Best time to go · Jun–Aug

    Best time to visit Pole Creek

    Best months: June–August. 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

      31° / -1°

      11 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 2°

      10 wet

    3. Mar

      43° / 11°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      51° / 20°

      8 wet

    5. May

      62° / 27°

      7 wet

    6. Jun

      72° / 33°

      6 wet

    7. Jul

      77° / 38°

      9 wet

    8. Aug

      74° / 37°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      68° / 29°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 21°

      7 wet

    11. Nov

      41° / 10°

      8 wet

    12. Dec

      31° / -1°

      10 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Fraser, CO, 6.4 mi away at 8,560 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

TabernashPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Tabernash

Next door

0.71-mile trail in Colorado with 161 ft of elevation gain.

BiathlonPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Biathlon

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0.42-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 66 ft of elevation gain.

HeckmanPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Heckman

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1.25-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 282 ft of elevation gain.

PossumPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Possum

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Possum is a 0.25-mile ski trail in Colorado with 30 feet of elevation gain.

WilsonPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Wilson

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1.12-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 102 ft of elevation gain.

Upper JustPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Upper Just

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Moderate 3.15-mile Colorado backcountry ski tour for intermediate skiers.

Lap LanePhoto: Allison Jaeger, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lap Lane

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Lap Lane is a 0.10-mile ski trail in Colorado with 1 ft of elevation gain.

DavisPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Davis

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0.18-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 42 ft of elevation gain.

AudunPhoto: Eric Johnson, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Audun

~1 min drive

2.38-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 327 ft of elevation gain.

CcoPhoto: Allison Jaeger, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Cco

Next door

Cco is a 0.29-mile cross-country ski trail in Colorado with 14 feet of elevation gain.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors