Black diamond Snow Valley, CA
The Ladder drops 322 vertical feet over 1,182 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 30° about 470 feet below the top. That's steeper than 60% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 1st steepest of 28 named runs at Snow Valley. It faces north.
Facing north at an average 16°, The Ladder gets about 70% of the winter sun that flat ground at Snow Valley does, December through March. That's shadier than 71% of the runs we've measured, and the 6th shadiest named run at Snow Valley. Its top sits at 7,230 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.