Vertical drop

Vertical drop refers to the total vertical distance between the highest point and the lowest point of a ski run or trail. It measures how much elevation a skier descends from the top to the bottom. For example, if a mountain’s summit is at 3,000 feet and the base is at 1,500 feet, the vertical drop is 1,500 feet. This measure helps skiers assess the length and challenge of a run, indicating how much elevation change they will experience during their descent. It’s a key factor in evaluating the difficulty and experience level of a skiing route.