Black diamond Big Sky, MT
Buffalo Jump drops 791 vertical feet over 3,032 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 40° about 630 feet below the top. That's steeper than 96% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 45th steepest of 290 named runs at Big Sky. It faces east.
Facing east at an average 15°, Buffalo Jump gets about 101% of the winter sun that flat ground at Big Sky does, December through March. That's sunnier than 73% of the runs we've measured, and the 106th sunniest named run at Big Sky. Its top sits at 8,890 feet.
With little slope to hide behind, it takes nearly the full winter sun of open ground: powder settles and turns heavy sooner after a storm, and spring snow softens early. 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.