Northstar California - Community Reviews & Ratings

This is a very family friendly mountain. Because of this, I would say that the runs are rated more difficult than they are (ie a "black" at northstar is more of a steep blue at other resorts). There also isn't much of an apres scene. The lift lines can be atrocious, but if you can get up to the more difficult sections of the mountain, you can avoid them. It is one of the most expensive lift tickets in Tahoe, and I think you can get more value for your money at Palisades or Kirkwood if you're going to pay for a day pass. If you have Epic, might as well check it out.

Decently sized mountain (more snowboard friendly I would say) not too big but not terribly small. A bit of a walk to the gondolas from the parking lots, aside from that the ascent is pretty straightforward. Terrain parks dont have the craziest features but they definitely get the job done. Beautiful backcountry trails, awesome powder days. Does get decently busy on weekends, nice and slow on weekdays.

Northstar is overall a great resort to go to in Northern California. I would definitely consider it family and beginner friendly, but it also has an entire part of the mountain for blue and black runs which is perfect (especially if you want quieter runs). If you're looking for a fun apres experience, Northstar is not really a big party spot. They do have DJ and drinks on the weekends, which I went to and had a great time at, its just not super packed. But you can tell they're trying to introduce more of that to the culture! I was lucky to go on a weekend that wasn't as busy, so we were able to avoid lines at the lifts which was awesome. I'm not entirely sure what it looks like on a super busy weekend though. It's a pretty easy resort to navigate as well, so if its your first time going don't worry about that. I would definitely recommend Northstar if you're looking for a Tahoe experience. Plus nearby Truckee is a great spot to stay and eat/drink. We stayed at the resort which made everything super easy, and they have a great shuttle service and request system as well.

Resort and runs are beautiful and well maintained. Crowds require more lift operators and service workers to run smoothly. Traffic is really bad during rush hours. Resort should sell chains that are often required. Very expensive.

North star has some great skiing, but it can get crowded. Accommodation at the lodge itself is pricey and the nearest other options are not too great. There are good options for food at the village though, and the snow conditions were quite good. The moguls were especially good for intermediate skiiers.

Gorgeous park but pretty expensive. Not sure if it's worth the cost. The village has a lot of good options and activities so there's no shortage of things to do.

Great family resort on the pricier side. Had an injury in our group while there and the full service onsite hospital was very convenient and professional.

Took beginner snowboarding lessons here. Instructors were great and extremely helpful. Definitely got me hooked on the snowboarding bug

Vail is awful. Not a chill resort whatsoever. Extremely corporate and targets towards rich families. Ill never ride at north star again in my life, its terrible. All of the caution signs are in Mandarin as well. Lame.

Northstar has a great park crew and is definitely the highlight of the resort. All around a solid resort but doesnt have much expert terrain. Would be 5 stars with some more runs than just blue runs.