Black diamond Alpine Meadows, CA
Pygmy Forest drops 132 vertical feet over 288 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 29° about 240 feet below the top. That's steeper than 51% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 84th steepest of 132 named runs at Alpine Meadows. It faces north.
Facing north at an average 27°, Pygmy Forest gets about 34% of the winter sun that flat ground at Alpine Meadows does, December through March. That's shadier than 99% of the runs we've measured, and the 14th shadiest named run at Alpine Meadows. Its top sits at 8,430 feet.
Shaded snow stays colder and drier, so it holds powder longer after a storm and is slower to crust over or turn to slush in spring. Shading from ridges and trees isn't counted yet.
under 25°25–35°35–45°45°+ Hover to follow the line on the map.
Measured by ZRankings from 1-meter USGS lidar. Steepest pitch is the steepest stretch of about 50 vertical feet along the skiable line. Run lines come from OpenStreetMap and can sit a little off the skied path.