Summit Loop

Summit Loop is a cross-country ski route in the Laramie Ranger District of the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest in Wyoming, managed by the Forest Service. The loop is short, about 0.7 miles out and back, and sits at roughly 8,800 feet, with a high point of about 8,950 feet. The climb is front-loaded, with the steepest stretch at about 0.17 miles from the start, where the grade reaches 10%. The total elevation gain is 124 feet, and the route is rated hard, so expect a short but steep effort. For comfortable conditions, late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Laramie show June highs around 73°F and September highs around 72°F, though that station sits well below the loop, so temperatures on the route run cooler. Summit Loops and Miner's Loop are both within a tenth of a mile, and the Headquarters National Recreation Trail is just as close. Pole Creek Group Campground is about 1.5 miles away.