Northstar California Resort Terrain Guide
Northstar California Resort Terrain Guide
Northstar Resort isn’t Tahoe’s largest ski resort, nor does it have the amount of advanced terrain found at Palisades, Kirkwood, or Heavenly. But that’s not to say the terrain isn’t worth mentioning—in fact, it offers some of the best park terrain and groomed runs anywhere in California. The groomed runs are also exceptional, making it a great place to practice carving on beginner to expert terrain.
The Tahoe resort makes plenty of snow when it’s not falling, which allows it to open earlier than other resorts in the area. If you don’t mind crowds and want to progress from a beginner to an advanced skier or snowboarder, Northstar Resort is a ski destination you won’t want to miss!
Mid-Mountain
When you first arrive at the village, you can rent any gear you need or buy lift tickets before taking the Big Springs Express Gondola up to mid-mountain. This is a great starting point for beginners and also connects skiers to the lifts serving other sections of the mountain. You can warm up on the green and blue terrain before moving on to black diamonds and the terrain park.
Terrain Type: Beginner
Most of the mid-mountain runs are pretty flat, making this area a hub for beginner skiers. What’s nice about this area is that you can find the ski school, magic carpets, and several lifts that take you to beginner terrain.
Most of these runs have a gentle pitch, are well-groomed, and are wide enough to accommodate large numbers of skiers and snowboarders. However, this area also takes you to lifts that access the terrain parks and intermediate/expert terrain.
Notable Runs:
Carpet Bowl: Perfect area for beginners, with carpets leading up to the wide open, nearly flat terrain.
Main Street: Arrow Express takes you to Upper Main Street, which wraps around a pine forest before taking you down Lower Main Street. It’s a long run for beginners, which can give them confidence before moving on to other parts of the mountain.
Mt. Pluto
Mt. Pluto is one of the first areas you can move onto after Mid-Mountain, by taking the high-speed 6-pack Comstock Express lift to the summit. Here, you have access to intermediate and expert runs. You can either head left off the lifts to the flatter East Ridge or head down one of the blue or black runs with a slightly steeper fall line.
At this point, you’ll want to plan out which part of the mountain you’d like to see first. The West Ridge will be warm and sunny most mornings, making it a popular location to begin before continuing on to The Backside, Lookout Mountain, and Northwest Territory. But if you visited for the Terrain Park, you can take the East Ridge to begin your day there.
Terrain Type: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Notable Runs:
East Ridge: This long, meandering run requires building some speed (especially if you’re on a board). Once you get going, it’s a fun groomer, which leads straight to the terrain park. You can also combine it with Logger’s Loop, which takes you back to Mid-Mountain—where you can ski through the wide, green Village Run all the way back to the base.
Tonini’s: Located off the East Ridge, this is a steep but short black diamond surrounded by (and leading into) intermediate terrain.
West Ridge: Heading right off Comstock Express, you can access intermediate and expert terrain. This trail leads to groomers like Axe Handle, but you can also move on to The Backside.
The Plunge: This relatively steep black diamond offers a challenging pitch for intermediate to expert skiers, but quickly transitions to blue and even green runs.
Terrain Parks
Photo Credit: Vail Resorts - Northstar
While Northstar is often thought of as a family-friendly resort with plenty of approachable terrain, it also has an excellent terrain park. Skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels can enjoy this area thanks to its really well-thought-out design. There’s a progression park and more advanced sections, as well, including a 22-foot halfpipe (open seasonally).
You can access the park directly via the Vista Express, or ride in from East Ridge.
Terrain Type: Park Terrain for Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert Skiers and Snowboarders
Notable Runs:
Sidewinder: The Burton Progression Park. This has the smallest boxes, rails, and jumps.
Pinball: A long intermediate to expert terrain park, with medium-sized obstacles.
The Straits: This section offers the most challenging park terrain at Northstar Resort.
The Backside
This is the most popular part of the mountain for intermediate to experienced riders. You usually won’t have the same long lift lines as you find in the Northwest Territory and Mt. Pluto (once you get to the Promise Land Express or Backside Express).
The fall line isn’t as steep as expert terrain at Palisades or Heavenly, but there are still plenty of excellent runs here for advanced riders.
You can find some glades and moguls here, but there are some great cruisers, as well.
Terrain Type: Intermediate, Expert
Notable Runs:
Drifter: You can get to this popular cruiser from Promise Land or Zephyr Express.
The Islands: An ungroomed trail that you can ride all the way down to the lift or take over to Drifter.
The Rapids: Long moguls run right off the Backside Express.
Iron Horse: A relatively easy black diamond that less advanced skiers and snowboarders can enjoy.
Monument Glade: A long, challenging glade run, with a trail about halfway down that connects to Burnout. There is a cliff trail at the bottom.
Sierra Grande: A black diamond run with one of the steepest fall lines in Northstar.
Follow Me: A short but steep run that connects Challenger to the bottom of Sierra Grande.
Sawtooth Ridge: At the edge of The Backside, this off-piste terrain, where glade skiers can have some fun runs and get some hikes in.
Lookout Mountain
Some locals may call it “Flatstar”, but Lookout Mountain has some runs that can’t be ignored by serious skiers and snowboarders. You won’t find long lift lines like in other sections of Northstar, and there are some runs that have some much steeper fall lines and drop-ins.
You can get here by taking the Zephyr Express and riding all the way down Lookout Bypass or taking the J-bar lift called Lookout Link from the Northwest Territory. Snowboarders will want to take the Lookout Link because the Lookout Bypass may require a lot of work, as it’s relatively flat.
Terrain Type: Intermediate, Expert
Notable Runs:
The Camp Glade: A pretty manageable glade run on the right side, skiing down.
Sugar Pine Glade: A glade skiing run with an upper and lower trail, with a steep pitch and tight trees at the top.
Washoe: This steep groomer is a fun intermediate run for more experienced riders.
Martis: A popular black diamond run that is sometimes groomed.
Stampede: Ungroomed black diamond that is one of the most challenging runs at Northstar.
Lookout Glade: Excellent glade terrain on the far left side of the mountain.
Northwest Territory
Located next to Mid-Mountain, you can access most of the Northwest Territory runs from the Tahoe Zephyr Express. The majority of these runs are blues, but you can access the Mid-Mountain greens, as well.
This part of the mountain is best for skiers who want to practice on ungroomed runs, as many of them aren’t groomed early in the year, if at all—but it can get really icy at times.
Terrain Type: Beginner, Intermediate
Notable Runs:
Sodergren’s: This is located to the left of Zephyr Express, and is next to one of the resort’s only cliff runs (seasonally).
The Gully: Nice open groomer with beautiful mountain views. It leads into Mid-Mountain if you take the Gulch trail (a popular green run).
Pioneer: Consisting of both the Upper Pioneer and Lower Pioneer trails, this is probably the most popular cruiser off the Zephyr.
Photo Credit: Vail Resorts - Northstar
Northstar Terrain Tips
Because of its location, Northstar Resort is much less windy than Heavenly and other Lake Tahoe resorts. You can still access many of the best runs at Northstar when other resorts close ski lifts.
Village run is much busier at the end of the day. If you want to experience the ride down from the summit, save this for grabbing lunch in the Village and take the gondola back at the end of your day.
If you want to ski on untracked powder, head straight to the backside on snowy days or arrive before the resort opens. Being one of the most popular resorts in California, fresh powder runs just don’t last very long.
Some of the runs near Mid-Mountain and around Comstock Express get very icy later in the day, so you will want to ski these early.
Off-piste skiing is relatively limited, and typically has a shorter season than other Lake Tahoe ski resorts.
Plan a Trip to Northstar California Resort
Northstar Resort is the perfect place for beginner to intermediate skiers to plan a family ski getaway or their first ski trip out West. The terrain is easier than that of other popular Lake Tahoe resorts, but it still has some really unique features that aren’t worth overlooking.
Thrill seekers can get plenty of adrenaline at the Terrain Parks, while casual skiers and snowboarders can work on their turns on some of the best groomers in California. Ready to try Northstar for yourself? The Lodging Company travel consultants can help you plan your visit—from lift tickets to lodging, and everything else you need to know!
Deric Brown is a writer who has traveled domestically and internationally, writing about his journeys along the way. A storyteller at heart, he’s always looking at both the small details and the big picture. Whether snowboarding in the Sierra Nevada Mountains or hiking the Marin Headlands near his San Francisco home, he loves experiencing the beauty of California and beyond and writing about each solo adventure and family trip.