Black diamond Snowbasin, UT
Surprise drops 395 vertical feet over 1,706 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 35° about 1,210 feet below the top. That's steeper than 82% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 38th steepest of 127 named runs at Snowbasin. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 15°, Surprise gets about 75% of the winter sun that flat ground at Snowbasin does, December through March. That's shadier than 63% of the runs we've measured, and the 35th shadiest named run at Snowbasin. Its top sits at 8,720 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.