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Milky Way

Black diamond Heavenly, CA

Steepest pitch32°
Vertical382 ft
Length1,280 ft
Average pitch18°
FacesNE
Top9,716 ft

Milky Way drops 382 vertical feet over 1,280 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 32° about 390 feet below the top. That's steeper than 71% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 30th steepest of 124 named runs at Heavenly. It faces northeast.

How well Milky Way holds snow

Snow preservationAverage

Facing northeast at an average 18°, Milky Way gets about 80% of the winter sun that flat ground at Heavenly does, December through March. That's shadier than 54% of the runs we've measured, and the 68th shadiest named run at Heavenly. Its top sits at 9,720 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.

Milky Way profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Milky Way 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.