America's Steepest Ski Trail Is Still Terrifying In The Summer

Originally posted on Powder | By Izzy Lidsky | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 7:36 AM ET

While the title of 'most difficult' or 'scariest' ski trail might be a subjective classification, there's little doubt about the steepest cut ski run in America.

The run that takes the cake is a quarter mile of usually icy, chopped up moguls and baby heads waiting to snag your skis. The aptly named Rambo can be found off of Crested Butte, Colorado's North Face lift and is the steepest tree-cut run in North America.

Ask Drew Petersen, there's no doubt Rambo is scary as sh*t in the winter. Looking down from the top is enough to make even the best skiers uhhhh, pucker up. Many of the steepest, scariest ski runs are even gnarlier in the summer with many just being straight up scree fields. Unsurprisingly, Rambo is no different.

The ski area posted the following video to their instagram page with the caption:
"Ever wondered what Rambo looks like in the summer? Rocks, downed trees, steep terrain, and gear carnage at the bottom. It’ll chew you up and spit you out!"

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Watch: Rambo (Summer), North America's Steepest Trail, Crested Butte, Colorado

Rambo Summer (0:29)

Chew you up and spit you out is right! The thought of any of those rocks taking out a chunk of ski bases or an edge is enough to make me keep moseying down the cat track instead.

With an average pitch of 55 degrees, Rambo is so steep it actually doesn't even hold snow that well. Rambo has claimed many victims in it's day. Just in case you need proof that it's actually skiable, here's a video of Drew Peterson making it look.... maybe not easy... but doable?