Our experts have recently reviewed the steepest ski runs in the world and still consider these to be the top choices.
The Freier Fall on the Kandahar course in Garmisch-Partenkirchen has a 92% gradient, the steepest section of any downhill on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. Our Senior Account Manager Ewan first fell in love with skiing on a long weekend in Westendorf, Austria, aged five, and grew up skiing in French resorts with his family. This is his guide to the steepest ski runs and black runs in Europe and the world for 2026/2027.
| Run | Resort | Country | Max gradient | Length | Vertical drop | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kandahar | Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Germany | 92% | 3.3km | 920m | World Cup downhill course |
| Grand Couloir | Courchevel | France | 80 to 85% | 350m | Ungroomed black run | |
| The Streif | Kitzbühel | Austria | 85% | 3.3km | 860m | World Cup downhill course |
| Lauberhorn | Wengen | Switzerland | 87% | 4.5km | 1,028m | World Cup downhill course |
| Lange Zug | Lech | Austria | 80% | 852m | 373m | Groomed ski route |
| Harakiri | Mayrhofen | Austria | 78% | 2km | 376m | Groomed black run |
| Mont Fort | Verbier | Switzerland | Ungroomed black run | |||
| Swiss Wall (Chavanette) | Champéry and Les Crosets | Switzerland | 76% | 1km | 331m | Ungroomed run |
| Gamsleiten 2 | Obertauern | Austria | 100% | 1.3km | 362m | Ungroomed black run |
| Corbet’s Couloir | Jackson Hole | USA | About 50° pitch | Expert couloir |
How Steep Is the Kandahar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen?
Resort: Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Country: Germany | Max gradient: 92% (Freier Fall) | Vertical drop: 920m | Type: World Cup downhill course
Named after Frederick Roberts, the Earl of Kandahar, this ski run has a long history with ski racing. Since 1954 this run has been used for ski racing and is still a regular stop on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Garmisch Partenkirchen. The Free Fall section has an insane gradient of 92% that even the best skiers in the world find frightening. The top speed record is 140km/h (86mph) with jumps with a landing of 60m long. A true test of ski racers’ grit and determination. It is one of the steepest ski runs in Europe, perfect for thrill seekers on a ski holiday in Germany.
Stay At:
Mercure Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a four-star hotel with a swimming pool and restaurant.
Why Is Courchevel’s Grand Couloir So Challenging?
Resort: Courchevel | Country: France | Max gradient: 80 to 85% | Vertical drop: 350m | Type: Ungroomed black run
The Grand Couloir is a legendary off-piste route in Courchevel. The top section is ridiculously steep and you can feel it on your legs even on a powder day during a ski holiday in France. Even getting to slopes is tricky with a narrow path from the cable car station at La Saulire. If it hasn’t snowed in a while the run gets tracked out completely and moguls form everywhere along the route. It is a 692m long slope with a 350m descent. It is definitely the most challenging ski run in the Three Valleys.
Stay At:
The Hotel Portetta in Courchevel 1650 is a friendly four-star hotel with easy access to the superb ski area.
Why Is the Streif in Kitzbühel So Famous?
Resort: Kitzbühel | Country: Austria | Max gradient: 85% (Mausefalle) | Vertical drop: 860m | Type: World Cup downhill course
Arguably the most famous ski run in the world, let alone the steepest ski runs in the world, the Streif is a truly extreme slope. Ski racers around the world each year head to Kitzbühel to compete in the Hahnenkamm ski weekend. Racers can hit 120–130 km/h (75–80 mph) in a death-defying run with jumps and steep sections. No wonder thousands of fans around the world head on an Austrian ski holiday to watch the race. If you’re visiting the area during the season you can ski some sections of the track.
Stay At:
Hotel Kaiserhof Kitzbühel is a great ski-in ski-out hotel, situated right on the slopes and close to the lifts.
How Fast Do Racers Ski the Lauberhorn in Wengen?
Resort: Wengen | Country: Switzerland | Max gradient: 87% (Hundschopf) | Vertical drop: 1,028m | Type: World Cup downhill course
Another ski race classic is the Lauberhorn in Wengen. The Swiss fans create one of the best atmospheres on the mountain to watch the world’s best tackle one of the longest tracks on the FIS Alpine World Cup Circuit. It is one of the steepest ski runs in Europe. French ski racer Johan Clarey broke the speed record on the track by clocking 161 km/h (100mph). The public can ski some sections of the course too on their Swiss ski holidays throughout the season.
Stay At:
The Hotel Regina in Wengen has a reputation for serving some of the best food and wine in the resort.
Can You Ski the Lange Zug in Lech?
Resort: Lech | Country: Austria | Max gradient: 80% | Vertical drop: 373m | Type: Groomed ski route
The Lange Zug is one of the steepest ski runs in the world that the public can try throughout the season. Located in the Arlberg ski area near Lech and Zürs, this challenge starts at 2,049m high near the Rüfikopf panorama restaurant. The first section is the most demanding with an 80% gradient. The whole run is 852m long but is a real thigh burner throughout. Speed skier Harry Egger did an event to set a new world record on this slope and achieved 284km/h.
Stay At:
With its first-class service and top cuisine, the Hotel Arlberg in Lech has excellent reputation.
Why Is the Harakiri in Mayrhofen So Challenging?
Resort: Mayrhofen | Country: Austria | Max gradient: 78% | Vertical drop: 376m | Type: Groomed black run
Named after a Japanese term referring to samurai suicide, the Harakiri is considered a real on-piste challenge for advanced skiers. It is 1500m long and has a vertical drop of 376m, so it’s a real thigh burner. The groomers of Mayrhofen prepare the slopes expertly so it isn’t left to rut and mogul all season long. Piste bashers head to slopes just before lifts open to maximise conditions. It was opened during the 2003-204 season and has since attracted skiers around the world to try it. It is one of the steepest ski runs in Europe that the public can ski in its entirety.
Stay At:
Hotel Elisabeth in Mayrhofen is a small luxury hotel for adults only, famous for its superb cuisine.
What Is It Like to Ski Mont Fort in Verbier?
Resort: Verbier | Country: Switzerland | Summit: 3,330m | Type: Ungroomed black run
Situated in the Four Valleys ski area, Mont Fort is the highest point in Verbier. At the top of the peak, you can admire the iconic mountains the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc on a bluebird day. The black run descent is a great test of ski skill. Throughout the season it’s usually a mogul field with a steep gradient. The right-hand side is steeper than the left section but is a good test of fitness. Afterwards, you can reward yourself with a drink at the Farinet bar.
Stay At:
Situated in the heart of Verbier, the Hotel Vanessa is an ideal spot for an Alpine break.
How Do You Ski the Swiss Wall in the Portes du Soleil?
Resort: Champéry and Les Crosets, reached from Avoriaz | Country: Switzerland | Max gradient: 76% | Vertical drop: 331m | Type: Ungroomed run
You can approach the Swiss Wall from the French side of the Portes du Soleil ski area via Avoriaz. At the top, many signs are warning you of the dangers of the slope. The top is the steepest section but the big moguls are the toughest part of this challenge. The bumps are relentless and uneven, so you have to stay concentrated throughout. The run finishes on the Swiss side of the ski area in Les Crosets and Champéry.
Stay At:
Sitting at 1,800m with ski-in ski-out access, the chic and modern Hotel Les Cimes du Soleil boasts one of the most convenient locations you could ask for.
How Do You Reach the Gamsleiten 2 in Obertauern?
Resort: Obertauern | Country: Austria | Max gradient: 100% | Vertical drop: 362m | Type: Ungroomed black run
To reach the top of the Gamsleiten 2 black run you have to take a double chairlift to the highest point of Obertauern at 2313m high. There are impressive panoramic views to enjoy of the Radstädter Tauern mountain range. The run itself is a massive mogul field with a usually icy upper section to navigate. The bumps keep on coming throughout the journey so make sure you’re up for some serious mogul skiing.
Stay At:
Hotel Steiner in Obertauern is an elegant hotel located next to the ski slopes with excellent wellness facilities.
Why Is Corbet’s Couloir in Jackson Hole So Famous?
Corbet’s Couloir
Resort: Jackson Hole | Country: USA | Max pitch: about 50° | First skied: 1967 | Type: Expert couloir
Located in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the Corbet’s Couloir is one of the steepest ski runs in the world. Named after mountaineer Barry Corbet who spotted the narrow couloir in 1960, it is considered a real challenge for professional skiers let alone advanced skiers on a ski holiday to the USA. It was first skied by local ski patroller Lonnie Ball in 1967 and has since become a place for exhilarating off-piste events. The main event sponsored by Red Bull is the Kings & Queens competition where the world’s best skiers try tricks on the Corbet’s Couloir.
Stay At:
Hotel Amangani in Jackson Hole has a unique location with stunning panoramic views of the mountains.
To find out more about the steepest ski runs in the world, please call our ski experts on 0207 471 7700.
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no official ranking, as resorts measure steepness in different ways. Of the runs in this guide, Corbet’s Couloir in Jackson Hole has the steepest pitch, at about 50 degrees at the entrance. On the World Cup circuit, the steepest section is the Freier Fall on the Kandahar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, at 92%.
A 100% gradient means the slope drops one metre for every metre across, which is 45 degrees. The Streif’s 85% Mausefalle is about 40 degrees, and the Harakiri’s 78% is about 38 degrees.
The Lange Zug in Lech is one of the steepest groomed ski runs in the world, with an 80% gradient at the top. The Harakiri in Mayrhofen is Austria’s steepest groomed slope at 78%, and it is so steep that it is groomed with a winch.
Yes. The Kandahar in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is open to the public, and you can ski sections of the Streif in Kitzbühel and the Lauberhorn in Wengen during the season.
I first fell in love with skiing after a long weekend in Westendorf in Austria, aged five. Following this, I went to several French ski resorts growing up with my family; Val d’Isère was a firm favourite of ours.
