Blue Northstar, CA
Ax Handle drops 656 vertical feet over 3,026 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 21° about 280 feet below the top. That's steeper than 51% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 50th steepest of 90 named runs at Northstar. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 13°, Ax Handle gets about 80% of the winter sun that flat ground at Northstar does, December through March. That's shadier than 55% of the runs we've measured, and the 44th shadiest named run at Northstar. Its top sits at 8,340 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.
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.