The problem with all these would I think be snow consistency over that vertical range.
Plus most folk can't even ride one small piste top to bottom without stopping multiple times anyway.
Exactly. Tends to be as much for resort marketing than quality skiing.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Whitegold wrote:
K2, Pakistan, is (by far) the world's biggest offpiste nonstop vertical.
Can be done without oxygen.
* Top = 8611m
* Bottom = 5100m
* Vertical = 3511m
I thought Mt Blanc summit to Chamonix had been done in very good snow year, for 3800 odd descent?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
rjs wrote:
@blueroom, Engelberg doesn't have a continuous run on piste for that vertical.
I think it does and I'm pretty sure I've done it? You can carry your momentum from the mid station slope and pole across the Trubsee bit? Then long run right to the valley?
@8611, a borderline one, might need a jury. The route that you describe is pisted but it is not shown as an alpine piste on the piste map, appears to indicate that it is xc. I'd be inclined to disqualify it on the basis that heavy poling is required and once we allow heavy poling you could probably do top of the Grands Montets to Tignes Les Brevieres in a single run which clearly isn't in the spirit of the question
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rambotion wrote:
@8611, and once we allow heavy poling you could probably do top of the Grands Montets to Tignes Les Brevieres in a single run which clearly isn't in the spirit of the question
How would you get past the lake and the reservoir?
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 15-10-24 23:14; edited 1 time in total
Another notable disqualification is Cervinia to Valtourneche. Can't remember can you actually do it direct from the top of Zermatt but there is one annoying short lift along the way anyway.
Stick it on the almost list so people are aware of the potential.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
8611 wrote:
Whitegold wrote:
K2, Pakistan, is (by far) the world's biggest offpiste nonstop vertical.
Can be done without oxygen.
* Top = 8611m
* Bottom = 5100m
* Vertical = 3511m
I thought Mt Blanc summit to Chamonix had been done in very good snow year, for 3800 odd descent?
Any decent year. But the real prize is Mt Blanc to Le Fayet, and yes it has been skied.
Top 4810m
Bottom 580m
Vertical 4230m
There are theoretical verticals in Alaska, but AFAIK no complete descents.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Top of Indran at Alagna is 3275 and the village is marked as 1212 (but not sure where in the village that is. Still it would be at least 2000 drop on the piste) and the early times I skied it there were drag lifts going up perhaps 250 metres more.
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michebiche wrote:
Have you ever been able to ski down to Le Chable from the Verbier side? Would have thought there were a few too many roads/houses/trees in the way, not to mention the south-facing aspect
I have skied it couple of times but never direct from top of Mont Fort. Best start is below La Chaux cat track rather than Verbier village.
I’d like to know what the run with the most vert is that we actually ski, and repeatedly, because it’s a great long run rather than some concocted assemblage. For some I’d guess Marmolada would qualify (not me; I hate trams). Hintertux talabfahrt?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Scooter in Seattle,
When in condition the runs down to Klosters and Kublis are IMHO better than the Marmolada, though I wouldn't miss the latter for the views from the top.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Idris wrote:
Any decent year. But the real prize is Mt Blanc to Le Fayet, and yes it has been skied.
Top 4810m
Bottom 580m
Vertical 4230m
There are theoretical verticals in Alaska, but AFAIK no complete descents.
Think that falls into the Gnarly off piste category!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@Scooter in Seattle, for me it's Aguile Rouge to Villaroger in Les Arcs. Done a number of times and it's a lovely variable run and all hangs together well
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
snowball wrote:
Top of Indran at Alagna is 3275 and the village is marked as 1212 (but not sure where in the village that is. Still it would be at least 2000 drop on the piste) and the early times I skied it there were drag lifts going up perhaps 250 metres more.
This received an early DQ:
Monterosa 1212 / 3275 / 2063
Indren lift is off-piste only
The resort website was pretty clear that Indren list is off-piste only, is your experience different?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Peter S wrote:
Sadly the Gobba di Rollin at Zermatt May no longer be accessible. A more likely vertical then would be 3810m to 1620. A still impressive 2190m or 7,185’ in old money. I think the run down is almost 10 miles. A good test is to ski it without stopping
The Gobba di Rollin lift does run - but only in the summer (and now isn’t connected to the top of the summer ski area). So not good for this discussion.
I think the Klein Matterhorn run starts at 3883m. So 2,263m down to Zermatt.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Revised after all the excellent replies, thanks everyone!
No intermediate lift rides or uphill walks.
No extensive polling across the flats.
No gnarly (guide recommended) off-piste terrain.
We could keep this thread going for a while debating minutiae, but I have gone far enough down this rabbit hole! And I have looked at enough trail maps to last me until the lifts start spinning.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 17-10-24 0:20; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rambotion wrote:
@8611, you could probably do top of the Grands Montets to Tignes Les Brevieres in a single run which clearly isn't in the spirit of the question
now that would be a heck of a pole
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
I’d like to know what the run with the most vert is that we actually ski, and repeatedly, because it’s a great long run rather than some concocted assemblage. For some I’d guess Marmolada would qualify (not me; I hate trams). Hintertux talabfahrt?
Probably top to bottom in cervinia, which we were talking about recently in the cervinia / zermatt thread
For some reason I didn't like marmolada at all. Very bare and long faffy ascent though the latter probably comes with the territory of long descents. Maybe the problem is there are stunning runs all over the dolomites which are much nicer than marmolada. Kind of feels like a detour from the beauty to me.
I think ideally you'd have a bit of trees lower down also which cervinia doesn't have.
I imagine a lot of these runs are on youtube. But long runs don't necessarily make for good videos....
@blueroom, hate to be pedantic but there’s 2 4ths on your list.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
what...snow wrote:
@blueroom, hate to be pedantic but there’s 2 4ths on your list.
Fixed, thank you.
Bormio is bumped from the top 10. Don't know anything about it except some events will be held there in the 2026 Olympics.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@blueroom, Bormio is a valid single run and good skiing the whole way.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Presina Glacier @ 3000m to Ponte di Legno @ 1256m is 1744m all on connected piste.
Stubai @ 3210m to bottom station @ 1695m is a mellow 1515m drop (10km of connected piste & some itinerary)
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Indren is off piste.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Saas Fee gets an honourable mention, but not quite there at 3500m/1800m/1700m drop. That's basically the Allalin amateur Downhill race.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@8611, there's a much faster/more direct route on the L2A run, that guy takes the blue Jandri run down, but you can speed that up a lot by taking the black Valentin run, it would wipe 3 or 4 minutes off that video.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
There are a number of 1500 m drops from the aiguille rouge to pre St. Esprit in les arcs . One of the nice things about these big descents is the change in conditions as you descend with a very notable temperature increase 10 degrees from top to bottom.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Les Cascades, Le Grand Massif - 14k/1700m, however does not meet the minimum base elevation
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
blueroom wrote:
...Bottom elevation above 1000m....
Outlaws much of North America. Even so...
Out of curiosity I looked at Whistler which is 1,609m, but you get multiple ways to achieve that - they designed it that way. However in WB most people would not enjoy the snow conditions in the upper resort as well as those down to the village - that's why they built the peak to peak after all.
Revelstoke claims 1,713 vertical, but it's a bit of a hack. Again most people wouldn't ride all the way down to the lower base, although you can. If anything Golden suffers from the opposite problem: you have to ride down even if it's boring / sloppy down there.
The weather is obviously key with this. If it's cold and other things being equal, then it might be good all the way to the valley bottom, but if it's warmer and depending on the time of day/ aspect / recent conditions you might want to stop higher up. With helicopters the fancy approach is to ride down until you're just above where it gets poor... and pick up there.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@swskier, sounds like a challenge
Can't believe I forgot tonale having skied that glacier run. Headed there again in Feb so hopefully will tick it all off.
Could be a worthwhile trophy hunt for snowheads or other ski addicts, see how many of the big ones we can tick off, film / GPS track them and post
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well, worthwhile is relative I suppose
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
phil_w wrote:
blueroom wrote:
...Bottom elevation above 1000m....
Outlaws much of North America.
Certainly anything in the east is less than 1000m, as is Revy and Whistler in the west. Everything in the western US is above 2000m, Colorado as high as 3300m.
phil_w wrote:
Revelstoke claims 1,713 vertical, but it's a bit of a hack. Again most people wouldn't ride all the way down to the lower base, although you can.
The gondola from the base has a "midway" station at 800m so you only go all the to the bottom at the end of the day. That leaves 800 / 2225 / 1425 (just 2 lifts!)
In 1998 end of Jan , yes the same week as the fateful Chamonix avalanche , I skied from the Top of Saulire 2750ish on runs to Meribel Village across the road and down to Brides-Les-Bains 600m although not an actual run below Meribel if was a well skied wide path/road through the woods all the way back to the Gondola station .
Doesn’t quite meet the criteria but worth a mention .
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@blueroom, Alpe d'Huez is a little bit less than 2200m. Top is only 3318m, bottom 1126m: 2192m.
I know that @blueroom has discounted gnarly off piste stuff but I do like the fact that you can throw a football out at the top of the Giroses glacier and it can find its way all the way down to the river - that’s over 2k vertical (but a little bit gnarly ;o)
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
blueroom wrote:
Revised after all the excellent replies, thanks everyone!
No intermediate lift rides or uphill walks.
No extensive polling across the flats.
No gnarly (guide recommended) off-piste terrain.
We could keep this thread going for a while debating minutiae, but I have gone far enough down this rabbit hole! And I have looked at enough trail maps to last me until the lifts start spinning.
Could those that have done these please comment on the possibility for snowboarder to make them? ie any in this list that you have to use the poles for wouldn't be of any use on a snowboard, so maybe a list for sideways standers?
Personally, the longest/most vertical I can remember (and bothered to log on strava) is Bochard in argentiere, which I logged as 1520 (Grand montets obviously closed, not that I would go up there on a plank anyways...)
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 18-10-24 10:57; edited 2 times in total
After all it is free
After all it is free
@ukoldschool, of the ones I know the Les Arcs and ADH ones are fine. The La Plagne one not - in fact I think the rule "No extensive polling across the flats." would invalidate it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@layne thanks that makes sense, When I went to Les arcs in '22 the glacier was closed all week so never go a chance to try it. going to La plagne this year so might pop over if the conditions are ok.
As you said I have already been warned off the route de bauches even the piste map shows it at a zero gradient
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@ukoldschool, I've done the 2 Alpes run many years ago, but can't remember any issues. I've also done the ADH run and it's fine, although, other than for the sake of completing it, it's better to bail at the Chalvet lift, than continue along the valley run off, as that is perfectly doable, but a bit flatter (no poling needed though) and dull IMO.
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Poster: A snowHead
