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Forerunner

Blue Northstar, CA

Steepest pitch19°
Vertical417 ft
Length2,056 ft
Average pitch12°
FacesNW
Top7,951 ft

Forerunner drops 417 vertical feet over 2,056 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 19° about 1,660 feet below the top. That's steeper than 30% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 66th steepest of 90 named runs at Northstar. It faces northwest.

How well Forerunner holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northwest at an average 12°, Forerunner gets about 72% of the winter sun that flat ground at Northstar does, December through March. That's shadier than 68% of the runs we've measured, and the 27th shadiest named run at Northstar. Its top sits at 7,950 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.

Forerunner profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Forerunner elsewhere

Nearby at Northstar

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.