Double black Sunlight Mountain, CO
Lower Defiance drops 435 vertical feet over 1,283 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 26° about 140 feet below the top. That's steeper than 14% of the 2,251 double black runs we've measured in North America, and the 38th steepest of 69 named runs at Sunlight Mountain. It faces north.
Facing north at an average 20°, Lower Defiance gets about 56% of the winter sun that flat ground at Sunlight Mountain does, December through March. That's shadier than 89% of the runs we've measured, and the 22nd shadiest named run at Sunlight Mountain. Its top sits at 8,380 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.