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10 Toughest Runs in North America

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skibum00
Posts: 142 - Karma: 17
I found this article on MSNBC from last year about 10 toughest runs in North America and after checking  the search bar found it hasn't really been discussed. I disagree with several of the runs listed and think they missed a couple but it's MSNBC so I didn't expect too much. Obviously this is only inbound resort runs and not counting any backcountry spots. What do ya think? What would you add?

Article Here

What they have listed is:
1. Alta Zero - Jackson Hole
2. Two Smokes - Silverton, CO
3. Climax - Whistler, BC
4. Keyhole - Alpine Meadows, CA
5. Corbet's Couloir - Jackson Hole
6. Avalanche Bowl to Zoom - Loveland
7. Goat - Stowe, VT
8. Palisades - Sqauw Valley, CA
9. Outer Limits - Killington, VT
10. Mak-M-Stairs-Plunge -Telluride, Co
Jul 23 2008 3:14PM
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GatoGordo
Posts: 1496 - Karma: 10
That's way harder than Corbets.
Jul 23 2008 8:49PM
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3ski6guy0
Posts: 9201 - Karma: 134
if they factor in retard texans who hit people then schoolmarm can be a pretty tough run
Jul 23 2008 8:56PM
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martin.
Posts: 2115 - Karma: 34
The only run (out of the mountains I have skied) that I've ever had a problem with was....

Paradise-Mad River Glen, VT

it was icy when i did it. not fun at all
Jul 23 2008 8:59PM
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Where-am-I
Posts: 1635 - Karma: 281
a run is only as hard as you make it
Jul 23 2008 8:59PM
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jfoley019
Posts: 929 - Karma: 95
Rumors at Gore I agree with, The head wall is pretty fucken Crazy.... Umm I cant believe they had outter limits, not so tough.
Jul 23 2008 9:05PM
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BigMeech621
Posts: 1257 - Karma: 16
the black diamond run.
Hidden Valley Ski Area
Green Bay Wisconsin
200 feet vertical... its a rush




jk
Jul 23 2008 11:17PM
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hoodSlayer
Posts: 900 - Karma: 7
I'm pretty sure any drop to ice sucks
Jul 24 2008 12:07AM
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Duncan*
Posts: 1270 - Karma: 164
yep
Jul 24 2008 12:21AM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
these people have obviously never skied Ontario's great ice runs
Jul 24 2008 12:28AM
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elPerin
Posts: 182 - Karma: 405
Little Coullior- Lone Peak, Big Sky MT.  By far the knarliest  run ever.
Jul 24 2008 12:33AM
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3mania
Posts: 2614 - Karma: 10,380
west turbo chute at abasin is pretty intense. Not to mention the alleys and 13 cornices. Pretty sketchy for shit right off the lift. Lots of trees to hit.  
Jul 24 2008 3:05AM
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J.D.
Posts: 21362 - Karma: 5,143
I would think the toughest run at Whistler Blackcomb is Five-O... inbounds, anyway. That or one of the other lines down Chainsaw. The top part of the ridge above Colouir X has to be the steepest inbounds in North America. A lot of that area is fall -> die too, what with all the rocks.
Jul 24 2008 3:43AM
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AlexMartini
Posts: 2990 - Karma: 1,942
YEAH ALTA ZERO!!!!!! by far my favorite run in the world (on the right day of course)
Jul 24 2008 8:56AM
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AlexMartini
Posts: 2990 - Karma: 1,942
s&s is not a real trail, its perminantly closed terrain, doesnt count
Jul 24 2008 9:01AM
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Inbred_Redneck
Posts: 2776 - Karma: 28
Fosho  Schoolmarm is a fucking pinball machine of gapers.
Jul 24 2008 9:17AM
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SKIDUBAIGUY
Posts: 3018 - Karma: 8
I havnt died yet, and im in ski dubai alot haha.Your more in danger from some random arabs crashing into you or the lift breaking, they forgot how to rescue people last time it broke, it was rather funny.
Jul 24 2008 9:43AM
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heFF
Posts: 5786 - Karma: 4,456
it's flat in the midwest haha
Jul 24 2008 10:28AM
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Holte
Posts: 10742 - Karma: 7,818
This article should've been titled "10 Toughest Super-Famous In-Bounds Runs Which Everybody Has Skied in North America".

We all know at most ski resorts you can find some in-bounds chute with a mandatory 20 footer and a 5 foot choke that could make this list.
Jul 24 2008 11:05AM
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king.tubby
Posts: 2865 - Karma: 122
considering most winters it doesn't even open. i wonder if all the shit on the list is pretty much guaranteed to be open most of the season every year?
Jul 24 2008 11:23AM
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hawaiiansteeze
Posts: 3255 - Karma: 3,226
yea when i went to squaw it was really icy and barely any of KT-22 was open.  but some of the stuff i saw was absolutly rediculous.  the palisades is nuts and aton of the other stuff was the same... im from the east and nothing i can imagine on the east can even come close to stuff at squaw.
Jul 24 2008 11:31AM
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reverendwrong
Posts: 3145 - Karma: 142
jackson totally deserves both spots on the list, alta and corbets are sooooooo sick. plus corbets was the first major cliff ive jumped
Jul 24 2008 11:43AM
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wrenegade
Posts: 6631 - Karma: 41
I would have thought Five-O as well, but I guess Climax is on of the chutes next to it? I would have put teetering rock up there too.
Jul 24 2008 11:53AM
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=Worf=
Posts: 2468 - Karma: 25
wow nopthing from kirkwood

any of the sisters chutes should be there

two mans
one mans
bogies slide

wow what an over look.

but i will for give you
Jul 24 2008 12:00PM
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mariob
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 36
na way dude way had stuff in the east like rumor at gore mt.
Jul 24 2008 12:07PM
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alpineplease
Posts: 2795 - Karma: 1,802
SCHRALPINE GHETTOS NUMBA 4!!
Jul 24 2008 12:20PM
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vzdz
Posts: 782 - Karma: 87
literally the top 9 should all be in jackson hole and the 10 spot to squaw
Jul 24 2008 12:24PM
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stormtrooper
Posts: 1191 - Karma: 461
snowbasin utah wasnt listed, theres a run where most of the time ur clearing rock bands i cant think of the name but its above the john paul lift
Jul 24 2008 12:26PM
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hey_dude_its_me
Posts: 1403 - Karma: 32
relax crybaby, all I did was suggest it
Jul 24 2008 1:43PM
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Switchin_Dirty
Posts: 2012 - Karma: 107

awesome. I concur. all the good western resorts anyway. alta, bird, brighton, snowbasin, mammoth, jackson etc. all have craziest shit then most stuff people listed.

and NOOOOOOOO corbits does not count. its not hard at all. my friend skied it with snowblades as a joke in highschool.

and whoever said jackson should have like top 9 is right. if you have ever skied jackson you know why. gnarliest in-bounds fo shizzzle.

Jul 24 2008 2:53PM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
smuggs vt
madonna lift line top to bottom 2,000 vert, one mile length, straight down, dueling fall lines, rocks galore, AMAZING headwall, total hollywood stature.

plus the base is probably 50 inches, you havent seen the sun for a week, it hasnt snowed for 2 weeks, the last time it snowed you probably got 3 inches, and the temperature is probably below zero. thats the deffenition of tough if you ask me.

alta zero at jackson is just steep, its not tough. skiing a mountain that gets a ton of snow is not tough either. dont get me wrong jackson is intense, but steep and tough are 2 different things. put a jackson or alta local on the east coast  see what happens when you cant just point your skis down open snowfields.

those articles are never right because frankly its who paid the most money to msnbc, who put them up in the nicest hotel and fed them the nicest meal.
Jul 24 2008 3:20PM
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Switchin_Dirty
Posts: 2012 - Karma: 107
^haha whaaaattt?

I don't think jackson is just point it and go man. the toughest run obviously isn't going to be some pow field you can just point. and last time I checked powder wasn't easy to actually ski.

I would say a line with mutiple fall lines, rocks and massive cliffs everywhere, plus avy danger and sluff are tougher then some crappy east coast tree run on ice. and jackson has some serious shit with serious vertical. not to mention mutiple close outs? I would say jackson has the toughest runs. the best riders in world come out of there too. the next step from there is alaska or somethin BC. but thats not in-bounds a resort.
Jul 24 2008 3:44PM
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Baker
Posts: 1616 - Karma: 18
Theres no advanced intermediates going down alta zero, it's a permenantly closed poach.
Jul 24 2008 3:45PM
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SSteezle
Posts: 9300 - Karma: 7,700
crested butte definetely has some of the craziest shit out there imo
Jul 24 2008 3:59PM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
dirty u gotta make your way to vermont if you really want to be challenged....
Jul 24 2008 4:08PM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
there is a reason dylan crossman dominated at snowbird on alpine skis, and wins tele comps all over.

cuz he grew up in the trees.
Jul 24 2008 4:18PM
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alpineplease
Posts: 2795 - Karma: 1,802
also, the article is by forbes traveler. that means rich folk with "salomon XXX213123eXXXterme 900 comp pro 6969 buttfuck hypercarbon intellegence nike air 2000x pro edition lifter air bling binding auto semi electronic release 68p" and their cougar ass wifes with punk ass snowboarder kids that stay at chateu whistler. so, its really like, the hardest experienced gaper runs in north america. i know everyone could name a tougher in bounds spot for every mountain in the top 10, its jsut that if fores published it, we would literally slice their necks.
Jul 24 2008 4:34PM
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[MEGAMO]
Posts: 1222 - Karma: 18
chads gap. you have to pack your boots with dynamite just to get near it
Jul 24 2008 4:54PM
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Line0777
Posts: 532 - Karma: 42
No, thats like funny you even said that. This is the most Joke of a trail ever. the only reason its a triple is so that it can be the only triple in the east. It should be a double if not a single imo. Shouldnt even be in the top 1000 runs for toughness
Jul 24 2008 5:32PM
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smuggs
Posts: 6561 - Karma: 1,375
i donno why everyone hates on the black hole.

there is no way it can be a single black its inbetween liftline and freefall, which are deffenately both double black diamonds. and lower black hole is pretty nasty, the upper part next to freefall is an easier ski, but low is nasty. if you dont think the black hole is challenging id suggest you enter from the liftline side then ski it out to drifter, not back out to freefall or FIS.
Jul 24 2008 5:50PM
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Stan_Darsh
Posts: 3057 - Karma: 185
this is a really really stupid statement.
Jul 24 2008 6:13PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
The conditions do add some difficulty, no doubt about it.  Still, if we are talking about the top few runs in the country, the west just has much more to offer.  I'm not flaming east coast skiing at all, but I have never been nearly as scared at Mad River as I have a Squaw.

It is tough to come up with 10 runs without a firm definition of what a run is.
Jul 24 2008 6:24PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
I know that.  Many of the lines on the list are similar.  I am saying the idea of such a list appeals more to that type of skier.  Most people who are beyond that stage do not get into such discussions.

The person who said something like "top 10 famous/accessible runs that lots of people have skied" is right on the money.
Jul 24 2008 6:31PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
Most Jackson and Alta locals would destroy the east coast.  You spend most of your time skiing stuff that is packed down or icy in the west, contrary to popular opinion.  I grew up back east and thought I was good ripping around Mad River and Mount Snow and Hunter.  Then I went to college out west and started skiing Squaw and Mammoth and Alpine.  There is far more to western skiing than pointing it down snowfields. 
Jul 24 2008 6:36PM
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Craigskis
Posts: 6650 - Karma: 1,645
Miami 50 is a good run. I don't know which one is called climax, any of those chutes off of chainsaw are probably less than 500 ft vertical drop.

Climax -- Whistler Blackcomb Resort, British Colombia

In the alpine cirque just below Blackcomb Peak, several precipitous chutes flank a feature called Chainsaw Ridge. The most difficult chute, according to Eric Pehota, a professional skier and Whistler Blackcomb local, is Climax, which drops for an initial exposed 300 feet at an angle of about 50 degrees. "It's steep and exposed, and you're jumping rocks in the snow too," Pehota said. After its steep start, Climax "eases" to 45 degrees for several dozen more turns to the bowl far below.

Jul 24 2008 6:48PM
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peterbajon
Posts: 81 - Karma: 10
what about white heat
Jul 24 2008 7:06PM
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comeatmebro
Posts: 10720 - Karma: 66
70+ degrees? i highly doubt it.
Jul 24 2008 7:25PM
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BcPowderHunter
Posts: 275 - Karma: 13
yeah man i agree with 5-0 and that top ridge above colouir x that your talking of is the steepest in North America (from what i've read and heard).  You also have to consider that band of cliffs on the left of the windlip in the glacier (technically in-bounds), a few of those runs involve double and triple stagers with both/all drops 25-45 feet.

and just for agruments sake i'll through in that air jordan at whistler is a much harder run than corbet's, and it's probably not even in the top 5 at whistler.  But i guess we have already established that this list is pretty much a load of shit.
Jul 24 2008 7:44PM
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Line0777
Posts: 532 - Karma: 42
I know it cant be a single black but honestly getting to the trail is the toughest part of the trail, I mean ive probably skied that trail a hundred times and found every way down it. I know you have to but i dunno triple black are you serious? not a chance its a fun ski with fresh pow but other than that i think its boring, but i dunno i jsut dont think its anywhere near the toughest at smuggs and or vermont
Jul 24 2008 8:10PM
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WikiWiki
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 426
europe in genreal- no avalanche control- huge faces with thousands of feet of vertical- lifts to peaks that make u shit ur poants- and sketchy conditions
Jul 24 2008 8:24PM
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JSskier
Posts: 143 - Karma: 10
for whoever said dynamite @ tremblant that's the hardest i've skiied and that was crazy ass steep and icy and had parts that were almost verticle and there were a couple rocks you had to avoid. it was great though.  
Jul 24 2008 8:31PM
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