Black diamond Fernie, BC
Surprize drops 1,427 vertical feet over 3,232 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 43° about 570 feet below the top. That's steeper than 98% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 15th steepest of 119 named runs at Fernie. It faces east.
Facing east at an average 27°, Surprize gets about 104% of the winter sun that flat ground at Fernie does, December through March. That's sunnier than 75% of the runs we've measured, and the 33rd sunniest named run at Fernie. Its top sits at 5,610 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 lidar from Natural Resources Canada. 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.