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Hourglass Chute

Black diamond Alta, UT

Steepest pitch44°
Vertical992 ft
Length2,365 ft
Average pitch26°
FacesNW
Top9,575 ft

Hourglass Chute drops 992 vertical feet over 2,365 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 44° about 880 feet below the top. That's steeper than 99% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 16th steepest of 117 named runs at Alta. It faces northwest.

How well Hourglass Chute holds snow

Snow preservationExcellent

Facing northwest at an average 26°, Hourglass Chute gets about 56% of the winter sun that flat ground at Alta does, December through March. That's shadier than 88% of the runs we've measured, and the 17th shadiest named run at Alta. Its top sits at 9,580 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.

Hourglass Chute profile

under 25°25–35°35–45°45°+ Hover to follow the line on the map.

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Hourglass Chute elsewhere

Nearby at Alta

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.