Steepest Ski trails by state

[JimG.]

i think k-27 isnt that steep mayb becuase im just used to it?
anybody think different?

You must be a Hunter regular like me...overall it isn't that steep, especially the runout which is probably more than half of the length of the run. But the top 100 or so vertical feet are genuinely steep, especially if you start your K27 runs on the shoulder of upper K and dive in before the turn into East Side Drive. Then, I'd say the top 150 or so vertical feet are steep. And alot depends on the snowmaking too. When they blow huge whales the top 25 or so vertical feet border on 50 degrees or so. But only for a very short while.

 

[dmc]

K27

 

[eatskisleep]

The hike up the Face is steep.

That going towards the Saddle?

Anyway how do you get the topo maps for google earth?

 

[JimG.]

K27

Nice visuals to demo my opinion about K27!

 

[from_the_NEK]

That going towards the Saddle?

Anyway how do you get the topo maps for google earth?

The picture is from a hike up the face (circled in Red in the attached picture I am "borrowing" from Riverc0il)

I did not use Google Earth for the maps that I made. The aerial imagery may be the same set that Google Earth uses. However, I created all of the map in this thread using ArcView 3.3. This is a Geographic Information System (GIS) program. I loaded a "raster" Digital Elevation Model (DEM) that I was able to have the software generate contours from. Most of the contours at a 20 foot intervals.

 

[pOwDeRfreerider101]

Ive skied Face chute at Jay and it was steep and deep... I heard that the trails Pumphouse and the Saddle are steeper... But where are they?

 

[John84]

Ive skied Face chute at Jay and it was steep and deep... I heard that the trails Pumphouse and the Saddle are steeper... But where are they?

Gotta do a little poking around to find them.

 

[kingslug]

I really don't understand all the fascination with "steepness" that some skiers have ... Do you straight line it for speed? Jump turns for the fun? Or you just enjoy being only seconds from death?

Some people are just wired this way. We like steep, fast, danger, anything that gets the heart going. And some people like cross country skiing.

 

[kingslug]

http://www.skimag.com/skimag/features/article/0,12795,325869,00.html

This was steep.

 

[dmc]

I really don't understand all the fascination with "steepness" that some skiers have ... Do you straight line it for speed? Jump turns for the fun? Or you just enjoy being only seconds from death?

Steep is fun...
It presents a whole new set of challenges that come with the terrain.

I either straightline or jump turn - depends...

Your seconds from death at every moment in your life... Might as well enjoy it!

 

[Greg]

I really don't understand all the fascination with "steepness" that some skiers have ... Do you straight line it for speed? Jump turns for the fun? Or you just enjoy being only seconds from death?

I like steep but not for speed or "being only seconds from death". I like to make quick controlled turns to keep my speed down on steep terrain. There's not much that I've skied (I currently stay in bounds) where I've been seconds from death. With two little ones, I can't afford to put myself in that situation. In fact, a few years back I jumped into upper FIS at Sugarbush from the skier's right entrance, not knowing that's notorious for bing very steep and icey (real glare ice, not hardpack). I immediately went down and slid a good distance. Stopping was difficult. Luckily I was able to keep my skis downhill and my edges doing what they're supposed in that siuation. I humbly climbed out of FIS and took Rim Run down.

 

[kingslug]

I like steep but not for speed or "being only seconds from death". I like to make quick controlled turns to keep my speed down on steep terrain. There's not much that I've skied (I currently stay in bounds) where I've been seconds from death. With two little ones, I can't afford to put myself in that situation. In fact, a few years back I jumped into upper FIS at Sugarbush from the skier's right entrance, not knowing that's notorious for bing very steep and icey (real glare ice, not hardpack). I immediately went down and slid a good distance. Stopping was difficult. Luckily I was able to keep my skis downhill and my edges doing what they're supposed in that siuation. I humbly climbed out of FIS and took Rim Run down.

And here is what makes steep in the East so different form the west. I've skied things out west that I wouldn't dare to here. The possibility of hitting ice and sliding 1000 feet. I don't worry about this out there. Yes they do get ice in the west but I have rarely hit it and can usualy bail out into snow again. This is why I will always say that if you can ski the steeps in the east, you can ski anywhere.

 

[dmc]

I look for steep runs on powder days but tend to shy away when there is ice or hardpack conditions. I feel like I am being shot out of a cannon and then I go down.....

Being able to stay in control on ice is something I dig.. I love an icey, gnarly trails...
Cause - no matter what people say - you do run into ice out west - and when you find it - it's usually someplace where you have to ski it... Like in a chute in the shade after a big freeze thaw..
It's totally posible to make turns on ice - even on a snowboard...

 

[SnowMiser]

Believe it or not, I'm reading this thread so I know what to stay away from.

What a wuss.

(At least I know my limitations -- and I'm not afraid to admit it!)

Aw, c'mon! Give a few of these trails a shot. They can only kill you ONCE!!!

Seriously, pick a day when conditions are good (none of the aforementioned trails are fun when they're icy) and go for it. Skiing more challenging terrain is the only way to get better. You may find that your limitations are more advanced than you thought.

Besides, when you get to the bottom and look uphill at what you just skied, you get one hell of a feeling of accomplishment. (Either that or become convinced that you're nuts)

I also know my limitations, but that doesn't stop me too often. If it did, I'd have missed out on a lot of GREAT runs.

Thanks to Andyzee and DMC for the pictures of lower Ovation and K-27. They remind me that I'M nuts!

 

[Nick]

Bump ... I had a good time at MRG on Paradise and it was steep but I have no concept of how it compares to others really. The moguls also throw it off because you can almost stand on the uphill side of the bump.

I have to say I always appreciate steepness more when I can see the trees coming out of the ground at a steep angle

 

[bobbutts]

Steepness is only scary to me if it's hard/icy conditions or tight with rocks or trees.. A steep run with soft snow/powder and room to move around is actually pretty easy to ski or snowboard.

 

[legalskier]

Noreasterbackcountry's latest TR links to this page which uses Google Earth's "path" tool- looks like Jay's Face Chutes win it for inbounds, with Devil's Fiddle and Nosedive vying for second (assuming it has measured all trails discussed here). And those trails don't even approach the steepest out of bounds areas.

http://nebackcountry.blogspot.com/2011/01/how-steep-is-it.html

 

[BenedictGomez]

I think somethings wrong if they say Upper Goat is the same steepness as Upper Nosedise. Is that possible?

 

[noreasterbackcountry]

The GoogleEarth tool has some limitations and really only gives you a ballpark figure on steepness.

For one, the average steepness rating is affected by where you start and stop your measurement. Further, the "max steepness" may not pick up very short drops (like a six foot cliff... or a series of them).

Also, I didn't look at all trails in the Northeast... so there may be some that are steeper than the ones that I listed.

In the end, take the numbers with a grain of salt. They give you and idea of how steep a particular trail is, but it is nowhere near definitive.

 

[legalskier]

I remeber reading somewhere that the steepest trail in the east is at a small ski area in PA but can't remember the name. When I get some time I will see if I can find that again.

Ski Denton:

Avalanche @ Ski Denton: 500 vertical over 1002 length = 26.52*.
307 vertical over 500 length = 31.55*.
164 vertical over 200 length = 39.35*.
94 vertical over 100 length = 43.23*. And this is high resolution. This is hugging skier's left of the top part of the run.

And don't forget-

Extrovert @ Blue Knob, PA: 634 vertical over 1317 length = 25.71*.
124 vertical over 188 length = 33.41*. Upper Extrovert (assuming it ends when intersecting with Lower Route 66). PA steeps?
510 vertical over 1092 length = 25.03*. Lower Extrovert (assuming it starts when intersecting with Lower Route 66).
324 vertical over 567 length = 29.75*.

http://ski-degrees.synthasite.com/pennsylvania.php