University Drive
- 0.7 mi
- round trip
- 117 ft
- climb
- 5,103 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
University Drive is a short, easy cross-country ski route in Ponderosa State Park in Idaho, managed by State Park and Recreation. The out-and-back trip covers about 1.4 miles, with a total elevation gain of 117 feet, and the high point sits at 5,103 feet. The route starts at about 5,049 feet and reaches its peak just over a quarter mile in, where the grade briefly climbs to about 5%. Winter is the natural season for this ski route. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in McCall show January highs around 31°F with lows near 13°F, while July and August highs reach about 81°F with only a few wet days a month. The station sits at nearly the same elevation as the route, so temperatures on the trail run roughly similar. Aspen Loop, another cross-country ski route, lies just 0.1 mile away, and the Peninsula Trail is about 0.2 mile off for hikers. Climbers can head to the McCall Area, about 2.7 miles away, and Last Chance campground is about 6.6 miles away.
Best time to go · Jun–Sep
Best time to visit University Drive
Best months: June–September. 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° / 13°
15 wet
Feb
35° / 15°
13 wet
Mar
42° / 21°
16 wet
Apr
50° / 28°
13 wet
May
61° / 36°
13 wet
Jun
69° / 42°
10 wet
Jul
81° / 47°
4 wet
Aug
81° / 45°
4 wet
Sep
71° / 38°
6 wet
Oct
56° / 29°
9 wet
Nov
40° / 21°
13 wet
Dec
30° / 14°
15 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mccall Ap, ID, 3.1 mi away at 5,013 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
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Tamarack Resort
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