Black diamond Big Sky, MT
Spotted Elk drops 820 vertical feet over 2,776 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 23° about 1,420 feet below the top. That's steeper than 15% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 197th steepest of 290 named runs at Big Sky. It faces northwest.
Facing northwest at an average 17°, Spotted Elk gets about 70% of the winter sun that flat ground at Big Sky does, December through March. That's shadier than 71% of the runs we've measured, and the 76th shadiest named run at Big Sky. Its top sits at 8,630 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.