Where is the STEEPEST GROOMER in the east?

[Jully]

Evolution was at work there.....

Haha exactly. Especially when I saw him about 30 minutes later skiing the trail again! He was making very cautious and unbalanced skidding turns down the headwall. I was impressed with his devotion.

 

[andrec10]

Haha exactly. Especially when I saw him about 30 minutes later skiing the trail again! He was making very cautious and unbalanced skidding turns down the headwall. I was impressed with his devotion.

You should have filmed it for Jerry of the Day!

 

[deadheadskier]

If you've a need for speed, then how steep or well-groomed it is can't be the only criterion. I wouldn't recommend straightlining White Nitro if you're fond of all of your limbs, for instance.

On the other hand, Avalanche is longer, nearly as steep and has a nice long runout, so you can pull some serious velocity, depending from how high up you're brave enough to point'em straight down. (Start high enough and you can get all the way to the tram without poling.)

Avalanche might be the safest go fast trail in New England. It just begs you to fly with how wide it is and the long run out at the bottom.

 

[Whitey]

You'll have to go back into the memory banks because it's been about 3 yrs since anybody has skied them - But I always thought upper Tight Line at Saddleback was a pretty steep groomer. I can remember reaching tuna speed there pretty quickly. Also Family Secret was pretty steep there too.

Hoping that in a couple of months, or maybe a little over a year, I'll be back to test my memory of those runs. . .

 

[Not Sure]

http://www.hillmap.com/

My favorite site for exploring steeps .Click on paths and drop two spots,measures angle and distance between. A couple places Bear Creek and Montage in Pa. 26-27 degrees , while short they are fun with some ice mixed in .

edit

Haven't been there but Blue Knob looks to have some bragging rights.
http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgIC4hY_qCAw

 

[Jully]

You'll have to go back into the memory banks because it's been about 3 yrs since anybody has skied them - But I always thought upper Tight Line at Saddleback was a pretty steep groomer. I can remember reaching tuna speed there pretty quickly. Also Family Secret was pretty steep there too.

Hoping that in a couple of months, or maybe a little over a year, I'll be back to test my memory of those runs. . .

Never thought TL was that steep compared to the neighboring mountains' options. It was steep, yeah, but def not the steepest groomer in the East.

Always enjoyed the trail next to it a little more, Supervisor?

 

[jimk]

White Nitro at Sugarloaf is a memorably steep Eastern groomer. Don't they groom half of Outer Limits sometimes at Killington? That would be a pretty long stretch of steep. I've been on quite a few (65%?) of the trails mentioned in that Ski Bum piece. Glad to see High Rustler and Pallavicini on the list. Those are two memorably steep Western non-groomers I've been on. Somewhere I had quite a few steeps photos of mine that I'd compiled. Lost a lot of stuff when Epicski went bust.
The following are not only steep, but some have good length to them.
Here's White Nitro at Sugarloaf:

Deep Temerity Chair at Aspen Highlands:

Lookout Below, Whiteface:

I've never skied the Slides at Whiteface. Could of this day in March 2014, but didn't have avi gear:

Sorry, I've gotten away from groomed to ungroomed. Here's a tight and not very revealing view of the steepness of Paradise at MRG. This buddy is a very dynamic skier, I didn't capture that very well either:

I may try to put up some more photos in another post.

 

[jimk]

One of the 20 or so steep runs in the Pallavicini section of Arapahoe Basin. This batch of runs is served by a chair with about 1300' vertical. David's Run, nearby in this area, is named after the guy who died on it due to an inbounds avi, unequivocal proof of steepness.

Renowned Corbet's Couloir, Jackson Hole. Didn't ski it, but got a good, long, close look, which counts for partial credit

North Chute, right center in this photo between a rock and a hard place, from Snowbird, UT

Close up on North Chute, one of my favorite shots from last season because you can actually see my buddy's face This is up high in a dang tight part of the chute.

Six Senses hike-to area on peak 6, Breckenridge:

 

[Hawkshot99]

Many of you have followed the guidelines for this, but so many trails posted here are practically never groomed if ever.

Sent from my SM-G930F using AlpineZone mobile app

 

[raisingarizona]

If speed is what you are after do you really want a long consistent steep pitch or more of something that has numerous steep head walls with good run-outs below them before dropping into another head wall? I prefer the latter personally. I love a good groomed run like that and has more of a roller coaster feel than a big long steep pitch. I'll take that long fall line pitch on a powder day though over the rolling trail of course.

Tellurides front face and lift 9 area have some of the best steep groomers that I've experienced. It's hard to beat Bushwhacker, See Forever to Lookout or Milk Run to Telluride Trail imho.

See Forever to Lookout being my favorite. The big right hander g-out at the bottom of Lookout is pretty rad.

If you are into the more natural straight lining thing then I'll add Zero G and Four Shadows in the Jackson side country. We actually have some good ones like that here in Arizona too.

 

[56fish]

Burke grooms. Steepest, probably not. Fast hill, for sure!

 

[Smellytele]

Avalanche might be the safest go fast trail in New England. It just begs you to fly with how wide it is and the long run out at the bottom.

My 16 year old son when he was 13 or 14 bombed Avalanche from the cut-over from the zoomer chair. I stopped by the banshee cut-over, watched and nervously laughed with shock as he made it to the bottom.

 

[crank]

I have skied some really steep groomers at Sugarloaf but I don't remember their names...must be the ones mentioned earlier.

Expo at Tremblant has been groomed every time I have been and parts are really quite steep.

I find steep groomers fun, but boring after a while. That is why I don't love Whiteface.

JimK I think I was with you on that Paradise run.

 

[EPB]

Some other honorable mentions:
Ptarmigan and Tim's Trauma at Attitash have good sustained steep sections
Stein's Run at Sugarbush - not sure how often it's groomed, but it was the last time I was there.

 

[sugarbushskier]

Love that Hillmap site....thanks. Took a look at a few of my favs from Sugarbush and got 28-29 degrees on Upper FIS, Black Diamond and Steins. Black Diamond never gets groomed but on VERY rare occasions Steins and Upper FIS get a haircut.

 

[Newpylong]

Any steep run can be a "steep groomer" if groomed perhaps the spirit of the topic is more "steepest trails that are consistently groomed?"

 

[deadheadskier]

Any steep run can be a "steep groomer" if groomed perhaps the spirit of the topic is more "steepest trails that are consistently groomed?"

Short of a 15 foot dump, I'm not sure you're getting a groomer up DJs.

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[slatham]

About time someone mentioned Sugarbush. Stiens does get groomed a few times a year and qualifies for the list. Ripcord is groomed more often, and Organgrinder even more so than Ripcord (and usually one of the two is groomed). Those are all steep groomers for sure.

 

[tnt1234]

Liftline headwall at Stowe. Usually the left side is groomed.

 

[jimk]

I have skied some really steep groomers at Sugarloaf but I don't remember their names...must be the ones mentioned earlier.

Expo at Tremblant has been groomed every time I have been and parts are really quite steep.

I find steep groomers fun, but boring after a while. That is why I don't love Whiteface.

JimK I think I was with you on that Paradise run.

Yes you were, March 2013, MRG:

Scoping out the icefalls:

Crank again, this on a big groomer near summit of Lincoln Pk at Sugarbush, Mar 2013:

Another at Sugarbush, looking good.

Snowmass, Longshot, March 2016: