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Heavy Metal

Black diamond Vail, CO

Steepest pitch32°
Vertical745 ft
Length2,613 ft
Average pitch17°
FacesNE
Top10,777 ft

Heavy Metal drops 745 vertical feet over 2,613 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 32° about 1,990 feet below the top. That's steeper than 68% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 36th steepest of 194 named runs at Vail. It faces northeast.

How well Heavy Metal holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northeast at an average 17°, Heavy Metal gets about 69% of the winter sun that flat ground at Vail does, December through March. That's shadier than 72% of the runs we've measured, and the 59th shadiest named run at Vail. Its top sits at 10,780 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.

Heavy Metal profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Heavy Metal elsewhere

Nearby at Vail

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.