Black diamond Purgatory, CO
Upper Catharsis drops 508 vertical feet over 2,421 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 35° about 2,110 feet below the top. That's steeper than 86% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 11th steepest of 90 named runs at Purgatory. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 13°, Upper Catharsis gets about 76% of the winter sun that flat ground at Purgatory does, December through March. That's shadier than 62% of the runs we've measured, and the 39th shadiest named run at Purgatory. Its top sits at 10,140 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.