Where should a sump-pump discharge line sit in a freezing climate?

I’d lean toward an exposed outlet if it can drain freely and discharge well away from the foundation; a shorter, straightforward route seems preferable to burying a line that may hold water. I’d favor burial when the route can reach a suitable discharge point without low spots and local frost conditions make that practical. So I’d compare the actual drainage path first, not assume either “exposed” or “buried” is automatically safer.

I’d put a reliable fall ahead of minimum length: a somewhat longer route may be preferable if it avoids a low spot where water can sit. And “well away” from the foundation depends on the site - the discharge should not run back toward it, but there isn’t one distance that fits every yard.

A plumber should check both the pump maker’s permitted discharge arrangement and the locally adopted rules for where water may be discharged. Those constraints can rule out a route that looks workable on drainage alone; local amendments matter, so a general code reference wouldn’t establish what’s allowed at a particular property.

In that hypothetical, I’d lean toward the buried route if it can reach a permitted discharge point and local frost conditions make the burial practical. The exposed route’s easy drainage is a real advantage, but discharging near the foundation could outweigh it unless the outlet can be redirected without creating a place for water to collect.