Longest "interesting" Blue/Black Trails in NA???

G

Gpaul

New member
Hiya all! Hope the New Year is starting out on the right foot for youse!

Saw a thread about a 16K trail in the Alps, got to wondering which would be the longest blue/black trails in North America?

From my experience, I immediately think of that long trail from Peak to Lower Creek in Whistle and in Mammoth start at Dave's Run and ski all the way to the new lift at Little Eagle, and I'm sure a whole bunch are similar.

Any real statistics on long runs?
 
Since Whistler/Blackcomb has by far the most fall line lift served vertical in North America, something there will clearly win this award. There are several choices of trail, however. Most would probably choose Franz's/Dave Murray Downhill. You can also ski continuously from the top of Seventh Heaven to the Rendezvous restaurant and then down any of the 4,000 vertical trails on Blackcomb's front side.

W/B has 5,000, and there are very few other areas with even 4,000. And some of those, like Big Sky and Snowmass, do not have continuous vertical or would have some extended flat sections to link fall line runs. Panorama and Kicking Horse would probably be next on your list after Whistler. Jackson Hole also has 4,000, but most of the long fall lines (ie Hobacks) are ungroomed and a bit beyond blue/black
 
I don't know about the exact details, however, Longshot at Snowmass is quite long and definately a blue/black. It doesn't get groomed and you have quite a hike up, so it is relatively private also. It's more challenging than Blackholm Glacer and very beautiful. I think it is worth the hike up (which is substancial in deep snow). I imagine it is easier to ski earlier in the year....I skied it after a huge snowfall in early April. I enjoyed it. My husband didn't like the unpredictable terrain.

Ann
 
I agree it is hard to top Whistler in this category.

Although there are some noteworthy runs out there. I tried to suggest runs with 3000' vertical, no major flats, and groomed regularly.

Colorado
Aspen - Spar or Copper Gulch both get 3200' of fall-line without runouts
Telluride - The Plunge is 3000'+ of expert skiing (add a small mogul field and start at Gold Hill and you get 3600)
Vail - Riva Ridge is 3000+ of a great wide open run.
I'm sure you could make the case for Aspen Highlands/Snowmass, but they may have a few too many flats/easy terrain in the mix.

Idaho
Sun Valley - A bunch of contenders on the Warm Springs and River Run sides. Probably Limelight and Warm Springs are the best.

California
Heavenly has too many flats.
You can link sections of Mammoth (Cornice + lower mountain) together for almost 3000.

Oregon
Mt. Bachelor can have some consistent 3000 vert cruisers.

BC
Panorama has a good 4000 vert down its spine without terrain benches.
 
I agree you have to drop it to 3,000 to get a few more contenders.

Sun Valley comes immediately to mind when you do this. Mt. Bachelor also has a lot of 3,000 vertical fall lines, though they tend to be steeper off the Summit and flatter near the bottom, while Sun Valley's fall lines are very consistent.

The best way to get 3,000 continuous at Mammoth is:
1) Traverse from top to Dave's Run. Most of Dave's is above blue black, though pitch is less intimidating far skier's right, or occasionally through Rockgarden before you get to Dave's. Rockgarden is so named because the wind usually strips the snow out of it. My pic from Nov. 2004 shows it with rare coverage.
2) From Dave's you have a classic blue/black cruiser on Gold Hill toward chair 9 or 25. It faces SE and is best in midmorning spring corn.
3) From 9 or 25 you have a very flat run down to chair 15/Eagle.
Variations involve long traverses across the face of 5 and/or the cat track that crosses under chair 16. So I don't think Mammoth really qualifies since Dave's/Rockgarden are never groomed and the last 1,000 vertical is quite flat.

I second the recommendations of Riva Ridge at Vail and the center spine of Panorama.

At Telluride either Bushwacker or Plunge is groomed each night for 2,100 vertical. Below the base of chair 9 skiing into town is mostly zigzagging catwalks as I recall.

One way to look for this type of run is to see if it has ever been certified for an FIS Downhill. These require something like 2,700 vertical and a fairly continuous pitch. Chip's run at Snowbird, Centennial or Red Tail at Beaver Creek, the Women's Downhill run at Snowbasin, the front side of Lake Louise and the groomed run that follows the Motherlode Chair lift line at Red. Mt. are examples.
 
What about anything off the top of Whiteface..On a empty weekday, that can be one long fast run down to base of the quad..
 
Tony Crocker":38w6gl2i said:
Whiteface and the controversial Le Charlevoix at Le Massif are certified for FIS Downhill.
Click to expand...

I was going to talk about the East once you mentioned certified FIS Downhill runs and over 3,000 verts.

My rating: :p

Whiteface is an excellent candidat, however you need to ski all the way to the end of the Olympic downhill or the bottom while you're at it.
:p :p :p
The top 1,800 is great and steep, but a bit short. :wink:

Although I haven't skied La Charlevoix, I know the terrain and is another excellent candidate. :p :p :p

Ste-Anne (La Crete) is also DH certified for Woman and is a great run.
:p :p

Tremblant (McCulloch-Lower Beauvallon) which was used for a Women DH in the early 80s. However the middle/bottom is pretty flat.
:)

Marc mentioned Sugarloaf's Narrow Gauge. A great run. :p :p :p

Other greats, but not or no longer certified for FIS racing.

MRG - Catamount Bowl-Canyon :p :p :p

Cannon - Upper Cannon-Avalanche :p :p :p

In the West, I would agree with Tony (although not necessarily certified).

Whistler - Dave Murray's DH :p :p :p :p

Whistler - Peek to Creek (okay this is not a groomer - who said it had to be a groomer). :p :p :p :p

Blackcomb - Saudan Couloir then to one of the steeps above the Crystal(?) Lodge. Site of the Couloir Extreme Race.
:p :p :p :p :p

Blackcomb - Something down the main side (Honeycomb???) from Rendez-Vous Lodge to the base. :p :p :p

Lake Louise - Frontside then the Downhill course.:p :p :p :p

Jackson Hole - Rendez-Vous bowl to Hogbacks :p :p :p :p :p
 
See that I've nailed the runs at Mammoth, Vail, Tremblant, Sun Valley, Beaver Creek, Snowbasin, Sugarloaf, WB, Cannon, Whiteface, Snowbird, Aspen. :D

Still got a bunch to go based on y'alls suggestions.

I think Vail's Avanti to International to Pepi's is pretty long and interesting, and their Poppyfields as well.

What's controversial about Le Charlevoix?
 
Gpaul":2yrwlguz said:
What's controversial about Le Charlevoix?
Click to expand...

Its construction basically eliminated what was one of the best runs in the province, IMO: La 42.
 
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