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Big Dipper

Blue Heavenly, CA

Steepest pitch22°
Vertical1,183 ft
Length6,666 ft
Average pitch10°
FacesNE
Top9,775 ft

Big Dipper drops 1,183 vertical feet over 6,666 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 22° about 2,170 feet below the top. That's steeper than 52% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 84th steepest of 124 named runs at Heavenly. It faces northeast.

How well Big Dipper holds snow

Snow preservationAverage

Facing northeast at an average 10°, Big Dipper gets about 81% of the winter sun that flat ground at Heavenly does, December through March. That's shadier than 53% of the runs we've measured, and the 70th shadiest named run at Heavenly. Its top sits at 9,780 feet.

It gets an ordinary dose of sun: powder lasts a typical amount of time, and spring snow softens on a normal schedule. Shading from ridges and trees isn't counted yet.

Big Dipper profile

under 25°25–35°35–45°45°+ Hover to follow the line on the map.

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Big Dipper elsewhere

Nearby at Heavenly

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.