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Flying Z

Black diamond Steamboat, CO

Steepest pitch30°
Vertical360 ft
Length1,065 ft
Average pitch20°
FacesW
Top9,544 ft

Flying Z drops 360 vertical feet over 1,065 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 30° about 770 feet below the top. That's steeper than 60% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 34th steepest of 195 named runs at Steamboat. It faces west.

How well Flying Z holds snow

Snow preservationAverage

Facing west at an average 20°, Flying Z gets about 84% of the winter sun that flat ground at Steamboat does, December through March. That's sunnier than 52% of the runs we've measured, and the 115th sunniest named run at Steamboat. Its top sits at 9,540 feet.

It gets an ordinary dose of sun: powder lasts a typical amount of time, and spring snow softens on a normal schedule. Shading from ridges and trees isn't counted yet.

Flying Z profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Flying Z elsewhere

Nearby at Steamboat

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.