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Rio

Black diamond Snowmass, CO

Steepest pitch37°
Vertical663 ft
Length2,320 ft
Average pitch17°
FacesNE
Top10,997 ft

Rio drops 663 vertical feet over 2,320 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 37° about 180 feet below the top. That's steeper than 90% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 28th steepest of 126 named runs at Snowmass. It faces northeast.

How well Rio holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northeast at an average 17°, Rio gets about 71% of the winter sun that flat ground at Snowmass does, December through March. That's shadier than 70% of the runs we've measured, and the 61st shadiest named run at Snowmass. Its top sits at 11,000 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.

Rio profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Rio elsewhere

Nearby at Snowmass

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.