Black diamond Great Divide, MT
Lower the Big Open drops 379 vertical feet over 1,112 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 32° about 30 feet below the top. That's steeper than 68% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 5th steepest of 123 named runs at Great Divide. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 20°, Lower the Big Open gets about 64% of the winter sun that flat ground at Great Divide does, December through March. That's shadier than 80% of the runs we've measured, and the 53rd shadiest named run at Great Divide. Its top sits at 6,420 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.