From elaborate tricks to steep slopes, snowboarders often look for a way to push their limits. Tired of well-groomed resorts, adventure seekers sought after some of the most dangerous slopes in the world. The thrill of boarding down any of the following slopes is enough to send shivers up your spine.
Backside of the Valluga: St Anton, Austria
The backside of the Valluga is the most dangerous run in all of Austria. One of the biggest challenges to overcome is getting the top of the mountain. To get to the top, you have to take a gondola ride with a qualifies mountain guide. After gaining enough courage to take the first step off of the mountain, the run is only moderately difficult. However, one wrong turn and you will end up snowboarding on jagged rocks for 2,000 feet.
Harakiri: Mayrhofen Ski Resort, Austria
Harakiri translated from Japanese means the ritual of suicide by samurai, which is fitting for this dangerous slope. Harakiri is the steepest groomed slope of Austria, with a vertical drop of more than 1,200 feet and an average incline of 78%, this is not a slope you want to fall down on.
Body Bag: Crested Butte Mountain Resort, Colorado
If the name of the slope wasn’t an indication, you should know that it is not for beginners. Advanced snowboarders who enjoy a challenge will gravitate towards this run. A slope that is unkempt and dotted with trees prove to be dangerous for all snow sports enthusiasts.
La Grave: Hautes, Alpes, France
To get to the top of this slope you have to go on a 30-minute gondola ride. Once you are 7,000 feet up the mountain you look out to the image of glaciers crevasses and huge cliffs. The most daunting part of this slope is the fact that it is not groomed nor does it have any ski patrol. If you decided to snowboard down the mountain, you are on your own.
Corbet’s Couloir: Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Wyoming
Perhaps the most dangerous slope in the United States is Corbet’s Couloir. This 10,450-foot-high slope has been previously described as one of America’s scariest slope. The slope is named after Barry Corbet, a mountaineer, who in 1960 was the first to name the upside-down funnel on the mountain, Jackson Hole. The grade of the slope is 50 degrees, so you are bound to hit an impressive speed.
Although these slopes are dangerous, many adventurous snowboarders and skiers, these slopes are on the top of their bucket lists. Do these slopes make your own bucket list?
