Black diamond Snowshoe Mountain, WV
Bear Claw drops 551 vertical feet over 2,207 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 24° about 140 feet below the top. That's steeper than 18% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 15th steepest of 63 named runs at Snowshoe Mountain. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 15°, Bear Claw gets about 72% of the winter sun that flat ground at Snowshoe Mountain does, December through March. That's shadier than 67% of the runs we've measured, and the 2nd shadiest named run at Snowshoe Mountain. Its top sits at 4,800 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.