Northstar ski resort: snow, terrain & trip planner
California, United States · Base 6,329 ft · Summit 8,609 ft · Vertical 2,280 ft
Updated : usually opens around Nov 22.
Northstar snow report
Nov 15: opens ~Nov 22; 23 in. forecast at the summit over the next 7 days.
- Status
- Opens ~Nov 22 typical season
- Next 24 h
- 0 in. summit forecast
- Next 7 days
- 23 in. summit forecast
Forecast and modeled snow from Veabird's snow model. Updated Nov 15, 22:00 UTC.
Veabird's call
Opens around Nov 22 with 23 in. in the next 7 days, biggest Wednesday with 13 in.
Strong for intermediates and advanced skiers at 46% of normal, book the weeks of Jan 3 and Feb 28 and avoid Dec 27.
Grades from Veabird's snow model; wording by AI (Muse Spark), checked against the forecast. Updated Nov 15, 22:00 UTC.
Open the run-by-run forecast →
Questions about Northstar
How much snow does Northstar get?
About 350 inches in an average season. The snowiest month is usually December, with about 74 inches.
When is the best time to ski Northstar?
For the most snow, December through March; January is usually the least crowded of those. Holiday weeks are the busiest; the forecast above has this week's grades.
Is Northstar good for beginners?
7% of its mapped runs are beginner terrain, 59% intermediate and 34% advanced or expert. There is enough easy terrain to learn on, but it isn't a beginner specialist.
Is Northstar on the Epic or Ikon pass?
Northstar is on the Epic Pass (2025-26 partners). Check the pass's site for blackout dates and day limits before you buy.
Terrain: Great for intermediates and advanced skiers
■ Beginner 7% · ■ Intermediate 59% · ■ Advanced 34%
92 mapped runs (about 50 miles) and 20 lifts.
Shares of mapped run length from OpenSkiMap (OpenStreetMap contributors); advanced includes expert terrain. Official acreage splits can differ.
Lift tickets & passes
- On the Epic Pass (2025-26 partners; confirm before you buy).
- Day tickets are usually cheapest bought online, in advance, from the resort's site.
Plan your trip
Where to stay
Partner links: Veabird may earn a commission at no cost to you. Partners never affect forecasts or scores.
Getting there
- Reno Tahoe International Airport (RNO), about 0.6 h by road
Drive times are rough estimates; check road and chain-law conditions. Flight search is a partner link.
Nearby ski resorts
- Palisades Tahoe California · 8 mi
- Sugar Bowl California · 12 mi
- Mt. Rose Nevada · 13 mi
- Heavenly California · 25 mi
- Sierra-at-Tahoe California · 33 mi
- Kirkwood California · 41 mi
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