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Iron Horse

Black diamond Northstar, CA

Steepest pitch25°
Vertical1,681 ft
Length5,830 ft
Average pitch17°
FacesNW
Top8,464 ft

Iron Horse drops 1,681 vertical feet over 5,830 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 25° about 1,150 feet below the top. That's steeper than 24% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 33rd steepest of 90 named runs at Northstar. It faces northwest.

How well Iron Horse holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northwest at an average 17°, Iron Horse gets about 74% of the winter sun that flat ground at Northstar does, December through March. That's shadier than 64% of the runs we've measured, and the 31st shadiest named run at Northstar. Its top sits at 8,460 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.

Iron Horse profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Iron Horse 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.