Vertical Drop: 2280
Base Elevation: 6330
Top Elevation: 8610
Hours of Operation: 8:30am-4pm
Lifts: 13
Skiable Acres: 2,420
Number of Runs: 63
Beginner Terrain: %25
Intermediate Terrain: 50
Advanced Terrain: 25
Night Skiing: 4-9pm one lift is open in the Polaris Park, which features skiing, tubing, snowboards, snow toys, and the Zorb, a 10-foot plastic ball people can climb inside to roll down the hill.
Snowboarding: 8 Terrain Parks
Distance from San Francisco: 196 miles
Description: A complete year-round resort, Northstar is one of Tahoe's most popular intermediate mountains, with meticulously groomed runs in an intimate, secluded forest environment. Its well-designed layout has ego-building lower intermediate and beginner runs on the front side and advanced intermediate and expert runs on the back side. This is the only ski area in Tahoe with a "village," and one of the few ski-in, ski-out overnight lodging complexes. Free adult (13 and older) skill improvement clinics are offered several times a day for high intermediate to advanced skiers or snowboarders.
Most skiing begins a third of the way up the mountain, at a day lodge reached via gondola or chairlift. Beginner runs are concentrated on the lower mountain, with a long, flat road back to the village. The majority of expert runs off the front face of Mount Pluto (elevation 8,610 feet) are short and steep, while those on the back are longer and more varied. Cruising terrain is the mainstay on the front side, with scenic runs off West Ridge providing views of the Martis Valley and Truckee. The back side consists of long, fall-line runs on advanced intermediate terrain (even though the trails are marked as black diamonds) and tree skiing in fresh powder.
Because of its wind-protected location and dense forest, Northstar is one of the best foul-weather ski venues in North Tahoe. The main day lodge offers typical skie