Blue Sandia Peak, NM
South Crest Trail drops 15 vertical feet over 709 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 8° about 640 feet below the top. That's steeper than 2% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 57th steepest of 59 named runs at Sandia Peak. It faces east.
Facing east at an average 2°, South Crest Trail gets about 95% of the winter sun that flat ground at Sandia Peak does, December through March. That's sunnier than 66% of the runs we've measured, and the 13th sunniest named run at Sandia Peak. Its top sits at 10,280 feet.
With little slope to hide behind, it takes nearly the full winter sun of open ground: powder settles and turns heavy sooner after a storm, and spring snow softens early. 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 USGS lidar (1-meter where it exists, coarser elsewhere). 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.