Blue Giants Ridge, MN
Lower Olympic Valley drops 178 vertical feet over 919 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 18° about 890 feet below the top. That's steeper than 27% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 20th steepest of 35 named runs at Giants Ridge. It faces east.
Facing east at an average 11°, Lower Olympic Valley gets about 91% of the winter sun that flat ground at Giants Ridge does, December through March. That's sunnier than 61% of the runs we've measured, and the 8th sunniest named run at Giants Ridge. Its top sits at 1,680 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.