Moose Loop

Moose Loop is a short, out-and-back cross-country ski route in the Laramie Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Wyoming, about 0.13 miles long. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trip is rated hard. The route is nearly flat, with a low point of 8,726 feet and a high point of 8,779 feet. The total gain and loss are each about 45 feet, and the steepest stretch comes within the first 0.05 miles at about 6 percent grade. That puts Moose Loop among the shortest of the local ski routes, and the other options are close by: Tie City Loop, Phil's Pholly and Gobi's Loop all lie about 0.1 miles away. Winter is the natural season for cross-country skiing here. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Laramie show January highs around 33°F with lows near 12°F. That station sits well below the trail, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. Summer is mild, with July highs near 81°F. For an overnight stay, Pole Creek Group Campground is about 0.8 miles away, and Tie City Campground and Yellow Pine Campground are both about a mile off. Climbers can find Beehive Buttress roughly 1.1 miles from the route.