The 10 Steepest Runs at Copper Mountain

This post is part of a series from ETR on Copper Mountain’s best runs. Check out other lists of top runs at Copper Mountain here.

As part of ETR’s Guide to Copper, we started to get curious about the steepest pitches on the hill. Truth be told, Copper doesn’t quite have the gnarly, pucker-inducing steeps like some of the other resorts in the state (e.g. A-Basin, Aspen Highlands, Crested Butte, Telluride, etc.). But what it may lack in absolute pitch, it tends to make up for in huge bowls and wide open, awesome alpine expanses. (We chronicled our top 5 favorite steep runs at Copper here).

The far east side of Tucker Mountain, home to some of the steepest runs at Copper Mountain.

Regardless, we tend to be huge data nerds (well, maybe it’s only a few of us). So, when Copper posted a treasure trove of interesting slope information in its 2011 master development plan, the data was just begging to be applied. And thus, are we able to list and rank the steepest runs at Copper.

Skiers tend to miss the mark wildly when it comes to slope angle, so it is fun and interesting to see objective data about the hill. Below you will find three tables. The first provides the steepest 10 runs by their maximum angle. The second takes the average pitch and sorts accordingly, for a different top 10. And the third table provides all sorts of other interesting data about the runs, which you can sort and play with for yourself.

Sourcing Notes:

All data was pulled from Copper’s 2011 Master Development Plan
All slope angles have been converted from grade to degrees using the original data
The data below is only for Copper’s black or harder runs

Copper Mountain's 10 Steepest Runs (By Maximum Angle)

Run Name	Maximum Angle (Degrees)
1. So Fine	40.36
2. Patrol Chute	39.35
3. Schaeffer's	39.35
4. Union Peak	37.23
5. Highline	37.23
6. Sawtooth	37.23
7. Cornice Chute	36.87
8. Boulderado	36.50
9. Iron Mask	36.50
10. Triple Zero	36.13

Copper's Mountain's 10 Steepest Runs (by Average Angle)

Run Name	Average Angle (Degrees)
1. Boulderado	26.57
2. Pacific Cornice	26.10
3. Looking Glass	26.10
4. Cache Glades	26.10
5. Slip Not	25.64
6. So Fine	25.17
7. Atlantic Cornice	25.17
8. Calendar Chute	25.17
9. Patrol Chute	24.23
10. 17 Glade	24.23

Note: Average angle is a tricky thing to define and calculate. i.e. When does a run actually end? However, for the purposes of this chart, we have simply used the official end points as defined by Copper itself.

Copper Mountain Run Data

The table below contains a data set for every black run (or harder) at Copper Mountain. This includes slope angle, vertical rise, elevation, and more. You can sort the data below or search for an individual run. Note that the top and bottom elevations were not provided for all runs.

Run	Avg. Degrees	Max Degrees	Top Elev. (ft.)	Bottom Elev. (ft.)	Vertical Rise (ft.)	Slope Length (ft.)	Avg. Width (ft.)	Slope Area (Acres)
Park Place	21.31	26.1	12,214	11,810	404	1,120	529	13.6
Marvin Gardens	23.75	30.96	12,286	11,763	532	1,296	201	6.0
Calendar Chute	25.17	30.54	12,274	11,783	491	1,170	129	3.5
Patrol Chute	24.23	39.35	12,344	11,793	551	1,370	216	6.8
Cornice Chute	23.75	36.87	12,312	11,796	516	1,312	294	8.9
So Fine	25.17	40.36	12,219	11,748	470	1,120	426	11.0
Pacific Cornice	26.1	34.99	12,101	11,710	391	902	310	6.4
Atlantic Cornice	25.17	32.21	12,051	11,678	373	884	197	4.0
Triple Zero	23.27	36.13	12,015	11,639	375	970	301	6.7
Double Zero	23.27	30.11	11,989	11,641	348	892	343	7.0
Highline	18.78	37.23	11,964	10,561	1,403	4,366	232	23.2
Sawtooth	18.26	37.23	11,957	10,552	1,405	4,472	213	21.9
Drain Pipe	19.29	31.8	11,943	11,604	338	1,035	349	8.3
Cabin Chute	14.57	26.57	11,695	10,556	1,139	4,475	138	14.2
Hodson's Cut	17.22	26.57	11,642	10,630	1,012	3,487	147	11.8
Spaulding Glades	15.11	22.29	Not Provided	Not Provided	531	2075	903	43
Lallarookn	10.76	26.1	12,342	11,242	1,100	5,859	117	15.8
Iron Mask	19.8	36.5	Not Provided	Not Provided	660	1,960	501	22.5
Schaeffer's	20.3	39.35	Not Provided	Not Provided	707	2,062	577	27.3
Bradley's Plunge	20.81	33.02	Not Provided	Not Provided	706	2,023	541	25.1
Matchless	19.29	32.21	12,300	11,561	739	2,240	447	23.0
Six Shooter	21.31	21.31	12,260	11,804	456	1,238	358	10.9
Julie's Vision	23.75	25.64	12,200	11,633	568	1,630	418	15.6
Golden Crest	21.8	28.81	12,150	11,514	635	1,723	334	13.2
Allacante	20.81	21.31	12,086	11,387	698	1,924	526	23.2
Rattler	20.81	27.02	11,772	11,353	419	1,182	504	13.7
Lillie G (lower)	19.29	30.54	11,770	11,187	583	1,801	278	11.5
The Nacho	12.41	20.81	Not Provided	Not Provided	674	3,117	1,771	126.7
The Taco	21.31	32.21	12,258	11,600	658	1,826	960	40.3
Buffalo Stampede	23.27	34.22	12,304	11,459	845	2,171	536	26.7
Ram's Run	21.8	34.99	12,304	11,360	944	2,563	498	29.3
The Springs	22.78	34.22	12,330	11,302	1,029	2,700	441	27.3
Denverite	23.75	32.21	12,306	11,178	1,128	2,806	507	32.7
Boulderado	26.57	36.5	12,200	11,195	1,005	2,262	844	43.9
Union Peak	22.29	37.23	12,270	11,647	623	1,668	676	25.9
Buzzard's Alley	23.75	32.21	12,203	11,709	494	1,248	686	19.7
Kaboom	14.04	29.68	12,131	11,369	762	3,167	205	14.9
Revenge	15.11	28.81	12,088	11,373	716	2,815	249	16.1
Endeavor	21.8	27.47	12,005	11,589	416	1,128	193	5.0
Little Trees	20.3	30.11	11,943	11,606	336	992	201	4.6
Indian Ridge	23.75	35.37	11,627	11,405	222	556	405	5.2
Upper Enchanted Forest	19.29	28.81	Not Provided	Not Provided	710	2,180	2,346	117.5
Lower Enchanted Forest	19.8	24.23	Not Provided	Not Provided	311	910	1,252	26.2
Ute Overlook	23.75	29.25	11,635	11,216	419	1,037	126	3.0
Slip Not	25.64	30.54	11,693	11,172	521	1,210	110	3.0
Looking Glass	26.1	34.61	11,673	11,098	575	1,315	160	4.8
Gold Digger	16.7	24.23	11,876	11,380	497	1,761	254	10.3
Coleman's Retreat	14.04	22.78	12,113	11,206	906	3,770	279	24.1
Far West	17.22	20.81	12,288	11,674	615	2,085	467	22.4
Union Meadows	11.31	21.8	Not Provided	Not Provided	1,231	6,395	2,257	331.4
17 glade	24.23	29.25	Not Provided	Not Provided	501	1,224	1,031	29.0
Cache Glades	26.1	32.21	Not Provided	Not Provided	479	1,101	571	14.4
Sail Away Glade	22.29	27.02	Not Provided	Not Provided	283	760	454	7.9
Freefall Glade	21.8	28.81	Not Provided	Not Provided	830	2,228	353	18.1
Black Bear Glade	22.78	31.38	Not Provided	Not Provided	669	1,830	410	17.2
Far East	17.74	29.25	11,511	9,790	1,721	5,721	154	20.2
Too Much	17.74	27.47	11,506	9,789	1,717	5,704	159	20.8
Triple Treat	18.78	25.17	11,486	9,803	1,683	5,306	189	23.1
Formidable	19.29	26.57	10,843	9,806	1,038	3,190	168	12.3
Trebel Cliff	17.74	27.02	10,303	9,801	502	1,660	143	5.4
Rosi's Run	18.26	26.57	10,828	8,758	1,069	3,457	266	21.1
Overlode	18.78	25.64	10,828	9,925	903	2,778	165	10.5
Ore Deal	19.8	26.1	10,468	9,779	689	2,044	190	8.9
Brennan's Grin	16.7	27.02	11,981	11,291	691	2,428	124	6.9
CDL's	16.7	22.78	11,974	11,249	725	2,541	205	11.9
Mine Dump	18.26	21.8	11,986	11,342	644	2,053	118	5.5
Hallelujah Ridge	11.86	21.31	12,299	11,867	432	2,100	266	12.8
Hallelujah	17.22	24.7	11,865	11,291	575	1,965	388	17.5

Click here to learn more about our top 5 favorite steep runs at Copper.

Copper Mountain's 10 Steepest Runs (By Maximum Angle)

Copper's Mountain's 10 Steepest Runs (by Average Angle)

Copper Mountain Run Data

Other Articles From Exploring the Rockies’ Guide to Copper Mountain