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Lower Switchback

Black diamond Stratton, VT

Steepest pitch21°
Vertical289 ft
Length1,091 ft
Average pitch15°
FacesN
Top2,900 ft

Lower Switchback drops 289 vertical feet over 1,091 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 21° about 70 feet below the top. That's steeper than 10% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 43rd steepest of 112 named runs at Stratton. It faces north.

How well Lower Switchback holds snow

Snow preservationExcellent

Facing north at an average 15°, Lower Switchback gets about 59% of the winter sun that flat ground at Stratton does, December through March. That's shadier than 85% of the runs we've measured, and the 11th shadiest named run at Stratton. Its top sits at 2,900 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.

Lower Switchback profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Lower Switchback elsewhere

Nearby at Stratton

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.