Black diamond Palisades Tahoe, CA
West Face Alternates drops 1,233 vertical feet over 2,740 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 48° about 1,470 feet below the top. That's steeper than 100% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 4th steepest of 115 named runs at Palisades Tahoe. It faces northwest.
Facing northwest at an average 28°, West Face Alternates gets about 42% of the winter sun that flat ground at Palisades Tahoe does, December through March. That's shadier than 97% of the runs we've measured, and the 8th shadiest named run at Palisades Tahoe. Its top sits at 7,890 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.
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.