Black diamond Heavenly, CA
Pistol drops 656 vertical feet over 1,485 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 33° about 50 feet below the top. That's steeper than 75% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 26th steepest of 124 named runs at Heavenly. It faces northwest.
Facing northwest at an average 27°, Pistol gets about 71% of the winter sun that flat ground at Heavenly does, December through March. That's shadier than 69% of the runs we've measured, and the 47th shadiest named run at Heavenly. Its top sits at 7,410 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.