Black diamond Vail, CO
Head First drops 487 vertical feet over 1,598 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 36° about 1,160 feet below the top. That's steeper than 87% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 12th steepest of 194 named runs at Vail. It faces northeast.
Facing northeast at an average 18°, Head First gets about 60% of the winter sun that flat ground at Vail does, December through March. That's shadier than 84% of the runs we've measured, and the 22nd shadiest named run at Vail. Its top sits at 8,690 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.