Steep Groomed Slopes in N. America

[Jeff E]

I saw a thread on EC's forum about groomed steeps: http://www.extremecarving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3730&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0<http: www.extremecarving.com="" forum="" viewtopic.php?t="3730&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30">
and I wondered what and where are our steepest groomers as well as the longest steep groomers?

In Lake Tahoe, at Kirkwood, they cat winch groom Upper Zachery, probably the steepest(+40 degrees?,but a little narrow usually), Sentinel Bowl, Olympic, Janek, Shortshot, and Conestoga. Zach is probably 800 ft. long at that degree.

When I was at Mt. Bachelor for OES, </http:>on the Northwest chair, Osprey into Devil's Backbone was super steep at the top.
Also, <http: www.extremecarving.com="" forum="" viewtopic.php?t="3730&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30">I was amazed at how long and fairly steep Beverly Hills is. It is about 1700ft. long and maybe 35 degrees?


</http:>

[tex1230]

Hayride :eplus2::eplus2::eplus2::eplus2:

[tpalka]

Aztec run at Ajax, Aspen. The movie below doesn't really show how steep it is, but gives an idea. At minute 3:29 or so:

link to page with movie (http://www.snowycolorado.com/stories/200603-pureboarding-aspen.html)

tom.

[carvedog]

I was amazed at how long and fairly steep Beverly Hills is. It is about 1700ft. long and maybe 35 degrees?


The distance from Google earth on the chair lift at least is 4900 by 1700 foot drop not sure how you get the angle. My math kung fu is weak today.

[carvedog]

Upper Greyhawk on Baldy drops 400 feet in 775 feet of length. That is the steepest we have here.

Entire Greyhawk run drops 1,500 feet in 3,750 feet of length.

Upper Warm Springs drops 3000 vert vs 8,600 feet in length.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Horizontal length, or running length?

[carvedog]

Horizontal length, or running length?

Seems as if it is the running length or the hypotenuse of the triangle that side A is the height of and running length is C.

????? I think I just confused myself. At least I rotated it around and the number didn't change on Google earth. and I have to say some of their numbers have been very accurate in the past.

[noschoolrider]

At Mt Bachelor, Cow's Face and Osprey Way are considerably steeper than Beverly Hills. Beverly Hills is long but overall it's moderately steep (it's only a blue run - see the trail map link below)
http://www.mtbachelor.com/winter/services/terrain_info/trail_map/trailmap.jpg

However, the Men's Start and downhill runs at Snowbasin's Allen's Peak get my vote for some of the steepest and longest groomed runs in the US
http://snowbasin.com/images/trail_maps/mtn_trail_map_w.jpg

[Kirk]

However, the Men's Start and downhill runs at Snowbasin's Allen's Peak get my vote for some of the steepest and longest groomed runs in the US
http://snowbasin.com/images/trail_maps/mtn_trail_map_w.jpg

Typically, those start areas are NOT groomed. From John Paul, take the cat track to the top of Wildflower - there's where the carving fun begins IMO:biggthump

[queequeg]

I can't remember if they groom RTS at Willamette Pass or not, but I think they do. It doesn't get a whole lot steeper than that, and its definitely long and consistent ... but my recollection is also that it was usually an icy face and that there was rarely packed, carveable snow on it.

[Jeff E]

Found a link to a site with the degree steepness listed for some runs and lifts in the world.
http://www.skistats.com/index.asp

For instance for Mammoth Mountain CA, Cornice Bowl is listed on their grooming report and skistats shows it at 40 degrees!

[Jeff E]

The distance from Google earth on the chair lift at least is 4900 by 1700 foot drop not sure how you get the angle. My math kung fu is weak today.

And you were right Carvedog.
http://www.skistats.com/slopes_detail.asp?resort=Mt%20Bachelor

They show the length of the lift at 4845', so google earth is pretty close. No wonder my legs were giving out a third of the way down!

[I_LOVETT]

One of our favorites at Elk Meadows, Route 66 perfect fall line. It's a shame the resort is going private. East of Beaver, Utah. Kipp

[shawndoggy]

One of our favorites at Elk Meadows, Route 66 perfect fall line. It's a shame the resort is going private. East of Beaver, Utah. Kipp

Technically, that'd be Mt. Holly, wouldn't it? Elk Meadows being the "upper" (flat!) mountain...

[Fleaman]

One of our favorites at Elk Meadows, Route 66 perfect fall line. It's a shame the resort is going private. East of Beaver, Utah. Kipp

That looks like the nicest steep pitch I have ever seen.

[pebu]

Holy crap!
Now in my soft boots that would be no problem. I could go down a perfectly vertical rock face on my soft boots and not sweat a bead, but when I put on my hard boots... I could make it, but we wouldn't call that carving...

[carvedog]

That looks like the nicest steep pitch I have ever seen.

Sure is smooth and flat isn't it. I have seen upper greyhawk look like this a couple times but only until the gaper gappers who just "have" to do it go side scrape the heck out of it.

[I_LOVETT]

The picture above is about half the length of the run, always wanted to come down it in the powder but never timed it right. Years ago it was two resorts, Mt. Holly being a monster ridge. The last couple years they were open they went by one name- Elk Meadows. Last I heard investors were having some water disputes with the locals. Kipp

[Kimo]

The steepest groomed run I can think of in Colorado is Corona Bowl at Eldora. It's quite wide for most of the run, but they usually do leave a mogul strip off to rider's left. I don't know how long or steep exactly, I can't find the info, but I would guess 800 or so feet and 35 - 40 degress for the main part of the run. Maybe Bola knows.

Next would be something like International at Crested Butte. I know they winch cat that run.

In Utah, I remember Solitude's Rhapsody being a blast as well as Sunset Bowl.

[Derf]

The steepest groomed I know is Dynamite in Tremblant. It's short and gets icy pretty fast. It's around 40 degrees I think.

[Tool Can]

Most of the exposure WY gets is from Jackson Hole/Corbits

But I believe the steepest groomed Vert in the US is right in Town at Snow King. Is that a correct and acurate statement folks???
When I lived in Jackson back in the day the only reason we went to The King was to take it on the steeps just to check the minerals.
{Minerals = Balls.Big Harry Balls People}

The Bet was to be smooth and link those turns clean for as long as one could. No Survival riding or your buying the Beer.
If you ate it and sled badly to the bottom you where not required to pay for Beer and actaully likely to be given one for the attempt.
Another for the pain

Bought a lot of Beer myself.

OES 08, Beverly Hills at Bachelor was fun to run.
It Kinda Basin's out in the middle for a few turns witch is a help and then returns to the Steep and widens out at the same time.
The very same time your thighs are requiring a little more room to run it out due to that annoying burning sensation.

Steep & Firm/Frozen = Fast hard and Sketch
Steep & Set. = Your best bet edge to edge
Steep & softer.= Slower, You will look like a Rock Star!
For a few brief moments until your momentuim from the steep pitch alone helps you find all that is inconsistent in the Snow/Grooming.

From Rock Star to the agony of defeat.

Route 66 Pic :eek:

[two_ravens]

I don't really know how the King compares to other areas, I just know that my first run every year is usually on Cougar (they open it first for various national ski teams to train on) and I get to the top, look over, and think OMG that's what I'm warming up on!!! :eek::eek::eek:

And then they winch-cat Lower Exibition and Upper Elk.... I oughta get out there with a slope meter just for fun.

[Paulk]

Just returned from some of the steepest/longest carving I've had all season.
Off of lifts 8 and 9, Bushwacker, Plunge, Cats Paw, Coonskin, and Milk run. The rest of the mountain is amazing also, steep bumps open chutes and glades making up most of the days I spent out there. A must do if you need a steeps fix....

[newcarver]

I agree with Paul. Milk Run, Coonskin, and the Plunge are super steep. Stella Headwall is pretty steep too but pretty short. Only steeper run I have seen that was groomed is at Snowbird in the Mineral Basin bowl. If you head off to the right on the cat walk towards Jrs powder paradise, I think it was the first run on the left. Don't know if they always groom that or not, but it was steeeeep at the top section!

[MR. JOHN DEERE !]

these are my votes!

east coast: avalanche, cannon mtn
midwest: treble cliff, copper mtn
west coast: granite chief, sqauw valley :eplus2:

[jtslalom]

The olympic run on whiteface probably has the longest sustained steep slope in the east. Its over 4000 feet long with about a 25 degree pitch over the course of the whole run. It is also groomed.

[Jeff E]

A reply from Kirkwood,

Hello Jeff,<o></o>
<o></o>
We groom several runs from the top as you know. Within a couple of degrees, here is the information I have for the steepness of the groomed areas.<o>:p></o>:p>
<o></o>
The Wall 42 degrees<o></o>
Monte Wolfe 38 degrees<o></o>
Zachary 36 degrees<o></o>
Olympic 38 degrees<o></o>
<o></o>
Anything else that we groom would be less steep. Hope this is helpful.<o></o>
<o></o>
<st1>Dave Myers</st1><o></o>
VP Mountain Operations<o></o>
<o></o><o></o>


I <o>have never seen them groom the wall, but I only go there midweek. It sure would be a nice wide, open run.
</o>

[Hugh]

Hey Jeff,

Check out the chutes at Mt. Rose - 40-55 degrees :smashfrea

http://www.mtrose.com/on_the_mountain/chutes.php

http://www.mtrose.com/snow/snow_report.php


Check tahoecarvers forum, Tae Kim is the guy at Mt. Rose that rides the chutes all season as well as back county carving too. I rode with him about a month ago at Rose just before leaving for the OES.

--Hugh

Guest Rescue in Progress is another way of saying, "Man Down"

[AccidentalChef]

The steepest groomed run I can think of in Colorado is Corona Bowl at Eldora. It's quite wide for most of the run, but they usually do leave a mogul strip off to rider's left. I don't know how long or steep exactly, I can't find the info, but I would guess 800 or so feet and 35 - 40 degress for the main part of the run. Maybe Bola knows.


When I rode softies back in the 90s, Eldora was the mountain I spent the most time at, since my aunt lives in Nederland. I only got 5ish days a year in back then, but I was damn proud of myself the first time I made it down Corona, on my alp 163 with 3 strap Burton bindings. I'm sure none of the turns were pretty, but that hardly mattered to me at the time. I do remember the run being steep enough that falling could result in sliding a pretty significant distance down the slope before I managed to stop myself.

I'll feel good about my carving ability the day I get down Corona without skidding a turn.

[Kimo]

I'll feel good about my carving ability the day I get down Corona without skidding a turn.

I never managed to do that. Couldn't work the heelsides well enough.

[RDY_2_Carve]

Next would be something like International at Crested Butte. I know they winch cat that run.


I'll have to agree here-some nice groomed steeps at CB! I have yet to experience anything steeper in NM/CO, but I also missed the Ajax day at SES 06.

Carving International was quite good, but it was dust on crust on that side of the mountain so we only hit it a few times.

Ruby Chief right off the Paradise lift was epic. Perfect pitch and plenty wide for the 12m+ boards. Actually anything off the Paradise lift was amazing, and the lift itself is the fastest lift I've ever ridden hands down. Now I know the true meaning of "high speed quad". :D

[Kimo]

Starfire at Keystone also has some pretty steep pitches.

[RaceBoarder7]

I dont have any pictures to upload at the moment but I doubt you guys have even heard Of The Mount Shasta Ski Park. It is small, Only three lifts, with three seperate Hills. If you ever come to Northern California in the winter... A ticket is cheap ($35-40) and we have some great alpine terrain. Many steep pitches, Many!!!

[Paulk]

found this on a friends photo album..had to share!
soooo gooood! March '08

[rwmaron]

From the Lutsen Mountains Winter E-Newsletter (10/31/2008):

"The Plunge is Back!: Making its comeback as the steepest run in Mid-America, The Plunge redefines expert terrain in the Midwest with winch-cat grooming on a 90% slope."
:lol:

[tex1230]

From the Lutsen Mountains Winter E-Newsletter (10/31/2008):

"The Plunge is Back!: Making its comeback as the steepest run in Mid-America, The Plunge redefines expert terrain in the Midwest with winch-cat grooming on a 90% slope."
:lol:

I believe a 90% slope is just shy of 45 degrees -

My understanding is when slopes are quoted in x% it means x feet drop over 100 feet hotizontal = so 100% slope = 45 degrees

[bumpyride]

From the Lutsen Mountains Winter E-Newsletter (10/31/2008):

"The Plunge is Back!: Making its comeback as the steepest run in Mid-America, The Plunge redefines expert terrain in the Midwest with winch-cat grooming on a 90% slope."
:lol:


Hey Russ is that the Run on the backside of Moose about 1/2 way from the day lodge. Looked at that last year and it was rocky and stumpy to say the least. I would have to say if that's it, it is plenty steep even for out west standards. Wanted to give it a shot, but decided to break ribs elsewhere on the Mt.

[rwmaron]

Smart move on your part - would have been a long way back to a chair with some busted parts from that run......

[Jack Michaud]

My understanding is when slopes are quoted in x% it means x feet drop over 100 feet hotizontal = so 100% slope = 45 degrees

Correct.

Great steeps at Sugarloaf: : Sluice Headwall, Narrow Gauge Headwall, Cribworks, Flume, White Nitro below the crosscut. Trails with good steep sections: Spillway, Sluice, Haulback, Hayburner, Upper Gondola Line, Skidder, probably a few others...

GeoffV on Skidder... doesn't quite do it justice, but you know what they say about cameras and ski slopes...
http://home.maine.rr.com/jjtd/ECES2006/images/060308_1558.jpg

[Neil Gendzwill]

I believe a 90% slope is just shy of 45 degrees -

My understanding is when slopes are quoted in x% it means x feet drop over 100 feet hotizontal = so 100% slope = 45 degreesYup, just take arctan of .9 == 42 degrees.

[bumpyride]

I'll be in Duluth from Dec 18th to Jan 12th, and we're planning on gettng a season's pass to Lutsen. Didn't pay for the Spirit pass last year. Ended up going to Mont Du Lac for Tele Tuesdays, and schooling the boys on bumps. Would love to hook for for a trip to Lutsen, or maybe Spirit if I can find a pass or two.

[tex1230]

shudder....flashbacks to high school trig class

[rwmaron]

Greg;
I've got a couple of extra 4 hour tickets for Spirit; give me a call when you get to town and we'll see if we can hook up.

I took my daughter out to Mont du Lac last year to go tubing and found that their senior pass (55+) is only $10, so I plan on spending some time there as well. From your profile, it looks like you don't quite qualify for this one yet.....

[bumpyride]

You're very kind but I'm in my 60th year. I will give you a call, definitely. Let's do the plunge.

[Dave ESPI]

Nothing for nothing, but Jiminy Peak has a few nicely pitched areas, and Bromley in VT aswell as Killington does too.

*EDIT: Jiminy has a winch cat :love:..... and now a new Piston bully 800 series this year.

MID DAY GROOMS BABY !

[b0ardski]

:1luvu::1luvu:winch cats:1luvu::1luvu:
6 runs at schwietzer

[carver]

OK,OK what is this? I thought we were all about turns on groomed runs? Does Buttermilk ring a bell? The late John Goodwin said it all when he said, "Carving is a groomed sport on runs that are boring to the expert skier" Can you say turns? Oh yeah, going back up the hill? John and I ski bumd in Sun Valley in the early 60'S. Now I know that there are many on this forum that were not born yet. Sun Valley, run for run is the over all steepest mountain in the US. We used 210 Head Vector Comps with Marker or Look Long Thong bindings. Leather lace up boots. No wonder I'm not in a wheel chair? LOL Hey, Mammoth is open!

[Justin A.]

I mathed it up to find out that Avalanche at Cannon Mt has an average of 23 degrees over 2500 feet, while Paulie's Folly right next to it comes out to 26 degrees over it's 2000 feet. It's some goooooooooood riding when it's groomed (never). Paulies actually has whales on it through almost the whole season, so there are actually many lines down that push 50-60 degrees, but they're manmade and way too scary for me.

[Jeff E]

OK,OK what is this? I thought we were all about turns on groomed runs? Does Buttermilk ring a bell? The late John Goodwin said it all when he said, "Carving is a groomed sport on runs that are boring to the expert skier" Can you say turns? Oh yeah, going back up the hill? John and I ski bumd in Sun Valley in the early 60'S. Now I know that there are many on this forum that were not born yet. Sun Valley, run for run is the over all steepest mountain in the US. We used 210 Head Vector Comps with Marker or Look Long Thong bindings. Leather lace up boots. No wonder I'm not in a wheel chair? LOL Hey, Mammoth is open!


I thought it would be nice to have sort of a reference thread of steep groomed slopes in North America. When we travel, we can look up say Kirkwood, Ca , and say oh yeah! I'll have to try the Wall while I'm there, and see how far I can carve noskid turns at 40+ degrees! It looks like from the posts, resorts are offering alot more winch-cat groomed slopes now.

[carvedog]

Now I know that there are many on this forum that were not born yet. Sun Valley, run for run is the over all steepest mountain in the US.


^^^^^^^^^
Truth spoken here. For how hard I like to carve a lot of areas are too flat and you run out of steam halfway through. Forget euro style on the flatter spots as that takes all your mo away.
Upper Warm Springs, Upper Greyhawk, Upper Limelight, International all winch cat, and all will take your breath away. In the good way. Unless you do it wrong and then it kind of sucks.



RIP John.