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Lower Grouse Alley

Blue Northstar, CA

Steepest pitch18°
Vertical368 ft
Length1,989 ft
Average pitch11°
FacesNE
Top8,222 ft

Lower Grouse Alley drops 368 vertical feet over 1,989 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 18° about 1,840 feet below the top. That's steeper than 25% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 72nd steepest of 90 named runs at Northstar. It faces northeast.

How well Lower Grouse Alley holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northeast at an average 11°, Lower Grouse Alley gets about 77% of the winter sun that flat ground at Northstar does, December through March. That's shadier than 60% of the runs we've measured, and the 39th shadiest named run at Northstar. Its top sits at 8,220 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.

Lower Grouse Alley profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Lower Grouse Alley 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.