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West Fork

Blue Purgatory, CO

Steepest pitch17°
Vertical300 ft
Length2,417 ft
Average pitch7°
FacesNE
Top10,503 ft

West Fork drops 300 vertical feet over 2,417 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 17° about 2,090 feet below the top. That's steeper than 21% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 82nd steepest of 90 named runs at Purgatory. It faces northeast.

How well West Fork holds snow

Snow preservationAverage

Facing northeast at an average 7°, West Fork gets about 85% of the winter sun that flat ground at Purgatory does, December through March. That's sunnier than 54% of the runs we've measured, and the 27th sunniest named run at Purgatory. Its top sits at 10,500 feet.

It gets an ordinary dose of sun: powder lasts a typical amount of time, and spring snow softens on a normal schedule. Shading from ridges and trees isn't counted yet.

West Fork profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like West Fork elsewhere

Nearby at Purgatory

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.