Black diamond Vail, CO
The Preserve - Lower drops 376 vertical feet over 1,203 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 26° about 330 feet below the top. That's steeper than 32% of the 4,740 black diamond runs we've measured in North America, and the 99th steepest of 194 named runs at Vail. It faces north.
Facing north at an average 18°, The Preserve - Lower gets about 55% of the winter sun that flat ground at Vail does, December through March. That's shadier than 89% of the runs we've measured, and the 10th shadiest named run at Vail. Its top sits at 8,670 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.