home of the Pure Awesomeness Factor Better Data, Better Skiing

North Rim

Black diamond Vail, CO

Steepest pitch36°
Vertical445 ft
Length1,490 ft
Average pitch18°
FacesNE
Top11,162 ft

North Rim drops 445 vertical feet over 1,490 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 36° about 1,170 feet below the top. That's steeper than 86% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 13th steepest of 194 named runs at Vail. It faces northeast.

How well North Rim holds snow

Snow preservationGood

Facing northeast at an average 18°, North Rim gets about 76% of the winter sun that flat ground at Vail does, December through March. That's shadier than 61% of the runs we've measured, and the 99th shadiest named run at Vail. Its top sits at 11,160 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.

North Rim profile

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

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like North Rim 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.