Double black Loveland, CO
Velvet Hammer drops 741 vertical feet over 2,617 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 39° about 840 feet below the top. That's steeper than 63% of the 2,251 double black runs we've measured in North America, and the 4th steepest of 81 named runs at Loveland. It faces southeast.
Facing southeast at an average 17°, Velvet Hammer gets about 118% of the winter sun that flat ground at Loveland does, December through March. That's sunnier than 85% of the runs we've measured, and the 7th sunniest named run at Loveland. Its top sits at 12,830 feet.
Angled toward the low winter sun, it bakes: powder turns heavy soon after a storm, and in spring it softens early in the day and refreezes hard overnight. 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.