While Colorado’s ski resorts boast oodles of awesome terrain, they’re a little short on seriously steep inbounds runs: those spine-tingling drop-offs and slopes that brush your hip when you turn, and elicit a deep sigh of relief once you conquer them. But this hardcore terrain is out there, just waiting to be shredded by the most fearless souls on skis and snowboards; you just have to know where to look. Inspired by fellow hard-charging powderhounds, we set out to find the steepest shots in the state.
Before you read further, a heads-up: No doubt this list is prone to subjective scrutiny. Measuring steepness isn’t as straightforward as it sounds. It can refer to maximum grade or average grade. Cliffs can skew ratings. And a slope’s angle can change over the course of the season as cornices build up, or snow fills in and softens the grade.
For our purposes, runs on this list had to flirt with 50 degrees, based on our own clinometer measurements in the field as well as resorts’ claims. We don’t count cliffs or mandatory air, focusing instead on runs where skis or snowboards can remain in contact with the snow. Yet without question, you’ll find plenty of cornices and cliff jumps in this challenging terrain.
Be prepared to earn some turns as many of these runs require hiking. And be prepared to test your mettle on all of them. Read full article