Blue Big Sky, MT
Bear Back drops 271 vertical feet over 1,104 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 18° about 140 feet below the top. That's steeper than 28% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 250th steepest of 290 named runs at Big Sky. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 14°, Bear Back gets about 66% of the winter sun that flat ground at Big Sky does, December through March. That's shadier than 77% of the runs we've measured, and the 58th shadiest named run at Big Sky. Its top sits at 7,740 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.