Idlewild Campground
Campground
Campground · 4.0 mi from the trail
Colorado · Cross-country skiing · Near Idaho Springs
Swindler
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- 0.4 mi
- distance
- 107 ft
- climb
- 8,726 ft
- high point
- Moderate
- difficulty
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Swindler is a cross-country ski route in Colorado, about 2 miles from the town of Maryvale. The trail is short, covering roughly 0.44 miles with a total elevation gain of 107 feet, and it is rated moderate. The climb is steepest at about 0.38 miles, with a grade of 8 percent, and the route rises from 8,604 feet to 8,726 feet. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. 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 brings highs around 72°F. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the route's high point, so temperatures on the trail run slightly cooler. Start Green, another cross-country ski route, lies about 0.2 miles away, and the Radcliff mountain biking trail is about 0.1 miles off. For paddling, Ranch Creek is about a mile away and the Fraser River about 2.4 miles. Idlewild Campground, about 4 miles out, offers a place to stay.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after Heck's Tavern
Pub
On your way back · 1 mi
If it rainsUser:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHistoric house-museum in Georgetown, Colorado, United States
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)
More in Idaho SpringsLocal outfitters
- Redemption Dog Sled Tours9 mi away
- Jones Pass Guides15 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Swindler
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.
Jan
31° / -1°
11 wet
Feb
34° / 2°
10 wet
Mar
43° / 11°
9 wet
Apr
51° / 20°
8 wet
May
62° / 27°
7 wet
Jun
72° / 33°
6 wet
Jul
77° / 38°
9 wet
Aug
74° / 37°
10 wet
Sep
68° / 29°
8 wet
Oct
56° / 21°
7 wet
Nov
41° / 10°
8 wet
Dec
31° / -1°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Fraser, CO, 2.8 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
Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Start Green
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Chambers
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SKI
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Meadow
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Sawmill Loop
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Radcliff
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Photo: Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Hartshorn
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0.11-mile ski trail in Colorado.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
