Ringrat
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Good question. I haven't skied Aspen, so I can't speak to High Rustler, but I *think* I remember Lenin being a bit steeper up top, then mellowing. Maybe @Skisailor can refresh my memory? The whole short steep section thing is suspicious to me, because if we went by that then every bump run would be rated 70 degrees, right?
Lenin was definitely steeper than Liberty, but not shockingly so. As I recall. YMMV. Etc. I just feel like if it had been 48* I would have *noticed*, by which I mean freaked the hell out - because we were skiing something that to my tender Colorado sensibilities was pretty close to boilerplate. Boilerplate + steepest thing I've ever skied? I would have remembered that. @Ringrat was also skiing that same run at the same time ...
I remember the top being steeper than the bottom, and one of the runs I did over there (Lenin or Marx, can't remember) I did pick a steeper entry, but I didn't find it to be anything out of the ordinary for me. So probably not the 48* spot. On the other hand, I have absolutely no idea what the typically steep stuff I ski is. I only ever pull out the inclinometer in the backcountry, and I'm definitely not skiing 48* there. Even then, I rarely do since it's such a spot check.
Nah, not boilerplate at all. I can't ski on anything approaching ice (a scraped off groomer rapidly becomes a nightmare of skidding to me) but I found it perfectly edgeable. I don't remember any skittering sideways on that run...some of the groomers before the sun hit them in the morning, absolutely!