As you enter the trees lower down, you may note that compared to the standard Southbound line, the trees here are a bit tighter, requiring more precise turning to navigate successfully. That said, most adept skiers should be right at home here, since Southbound is the only single black diamond-rated line accessible from the Mirkwood hike. While the double black diamond ratings on a few of the lines in Mirkwood Basin are debatable, Southbound is certifiably easy with a mere 26° max pitch.

As you can imagine, Southbound’s south-facing aspect can become very sun-affected on warm days, meaning that finding good pow here requires perfect timing. If, on the other hand, you enjoy skiing spring conditions, Southbound offers slushy spring skiing sooner than any other aspect on the mountain. If your choices are between skiing crust or pushing some mashed potatoes around, Southbound begins to look awfully attractive.

If this additional vertical drop still isn’t enough, before you reach the piste you can choose to traverse hard to skier’s right to access the lower section of Lodgeview: Longer. Or, jump out onto the piste, and then turn left in a few hundred yards for Geno’s Meadows.