Black diamond Big Sky, MT
Colter's Hell drops 483 vertical feet over 1,456 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 26° about 1,190 feet below the top. That's steeper than 29% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 154th steepest of 290 named runs at Big Sky. It faces north.
Facing north at an average 20°, Colter's Hell gets about 46% of the winter sun that flat ground at Big Sky does, December through March. That's shadier than 95% of the runs we've measured, and the 17th shadiest named run at Big Sky. Its top sits at 8,220 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.