9 Double Black Diamond Runs in Colorado That’ll Make You Say “Nope”

If you’re a skier or snowboarder, maybe you’ve seen it from a distance or up close in person, but you definitely know that one run you’d probably be better off avoiding.

You only live once, so these gnarly rides are only for experienced Olympians on steroids who have momentarily lost all sense of fear, anxiety, and logical reasoning. For the rest of us down-to-earth snow bunnies, we can simply emphasize a resounding no thanks under our neck warmers as we pizza ski down Green Circle Path to Paradise Valley.

9. The Heathen, Sunlight Mountain Resort, Glenwood Springs

Chairlift at Sunlight Mountain Resort via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 8,888 feet
Vertical Drop: 240 feet
Length: 437 feet

Aww, Sunlight Mountain sounds so magical! Wrong. Not very popular out of the infamous Colorado ski resorts, the run nicknamed “The Heathen” starts out our list since it’s one of the steepest in-bound runs in the state. Sunlight Mountain in general isn’t very big and The Heathen isn’t very long, but hurdling yourself off a snowy cliff at a bunch of trees below might be just slightly intimidating for most mammals.

8. Chute 1, Steamboat Ski Resort, Steamboat Springs

Chute 1 via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 10,423 feet
Vertical Drop: 249 feet
Length: 410 feet

There’s a huge difference between a “slope” and a “chute” if that’s what you’re wondering. Literally at the top of Chute 1, you’ll be looking at well, a chute. No trees. Nothing. Just you and the straight white abyss leading into what is possibly the little town of Steamboat Springs nestled somewhere thousands of feet below you. How fun!

7. Wild Child, Loveland Ski Area, Georgetown

Skiers Get Ready to Descend Wild Child via Loveland on Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 12,497 feet
Vertical Drop: 308 feet
Length: 0.12 miles

You’re probably a wild child for even trying this one. Don’t be fooled by Loveland’s tame looking exit off of I-70 — it has some gnarly black diamond runs at high elevations that will leave you out of breath and lacking the oxygen you need to make good decisions. It would probably be cool to brag about how you literally skied the effing Continental Divide, but maybe you should humble yourself a bit if catapulting yourself off Wild Child is how you attempt to get attention.

6. 9 Lives, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Breckenridge

Breckenridge via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 12,861 feet
Vertical Drop: 436 feet
Length: 0.16 miles

With the Peak 8 Summit at Breck being just shy of 13,000 feet, you shouldn’t worry about dying on 9 Lives since you might actually freeze to death up there first or die from exhaustion since you have to HIKE WITH YOUR GEAR FOR 15 MINUTES UPHILL FIRST JUST TO GET THERE. With fun run names on either side at the top like “Easy Street” and “Zoot Chute,” you might think you’re at some sort of frosty wonderland theme park, but you’re actually on one of the steepest runs in Colorado.

5. East Wall Traverse, Arapahoe Basin Ski Area, Keystone

East Wall via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 12,162 feet
Vertical Drop: 410 feet
Length: 0.75 miles

Overall, Arapahoe Basin has some pretty steep runs, and if the East Wall Traverse doesn’t make you squeamish, you probably need to get your amygdala checked out. Most black diamond slopes run vertically, but if you want to “traverse” the East Wall at A-Bay, you have to actually ski horizontally across a giant bowl with jagged rocks jutting out of the mountain face above that will only remind you that Mother Nature is queen and you are her little b****.

4. Two Smokes, Silverton Mountain Ski Area, Silverton

Silverton Mountain Ski Area via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 11,512 feet
Vertical Drop: 390 feet
Length: 0.12 miles

Skiing Silverton in general is not for the faint-hearted, but just looking at Two Smokes from a distance can make anyone wet him or herself. As a popular heli-skiing destination, Silverton Mountain Ski Area is so gnarly only 80 guided skiers are allowed on it per day due to the risk of severe weather and avalanches. Two Smokes is basically a straight chute off the mountain face that will give you a heart attack just by looking down it.

3. Crazy Ivan 2, Breckenridge Ski Resort, Breckenridge

Peak 8 Summit at Breckenridge via Facebook

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 12,998 feet
Vertical Drop: Not available
Length: Not available

Because the patrollers at Breck think it’s best if you probably skipped the Lake Chute runs altogether, this insane run, as well as other double black diamond slopes from the Peak 8 Summit, ARE NOT EVEN ON THE TRAIL MAP. After you’re finished convincing someone to tell you how to get there, Crazy Ivan 2 allows the most experienced and fearless of skiers and snowboarders to fall off of what’s nicknamed the “Pyramid Cliff” and assume they’ll live to tell stories of how adrenaline pumping it was to be so near death.

2. Rambo, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Crested Butte

Rambo via gunnisoncrestedbutte.com

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: 10,420 feet
Vertical Drop: 381 feet
Length: 0.17 miles

Probably the most famous on our list, Rambo is said to be the seventh scariest ski slope in the world. At 55 degrees, it’s the steepest cut run in North America and is ready to scare the s*** out of you. Just go home man.

1. Body Bag, Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Crested Butte

Difficulty: Double Black Diamond
Elevation: Nope
Vertical Drop: Nope
Length: Nope

The ski patrollers at Crested Butte cannot be any clearer. The name alone should steer you away from this snowy mountain precipice. DO NOT DO IT. Body Bag is not for beginners. It’s not for humans really. If the downed trees and sloughed snow off the top don’t get you, then the frozen skeletons will because we don’t think the Crested Butte folks will even be willing to retrieve you.