Construction of Phase I of the new Village at Northstar is near completion, with three of the planned seven buildings ready for occupancy. Throughout the season, restaurants, shops and galleries will open for business. Once completed, the resort will offer world-class amenities along the lines of Beaver Creek and nearby Squaw, which also has a new village.

From your car to the Big Springs Express Gondola, you'll walk through the pedestrian village lined with boutique shops, restaurants, outdoor fire pits, and an ice skating rink. Looking out over the village are 100 new luxury condominiums. And everything is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. On-mountain improvements have already begun with the addition of the Village Express quad chairlift last winter, and more mountain improvements are scheduled. All this planned gloss and luxury shouldn't take away from Northstar's reputation as a family-oriented resort though. Kids will still find the hidden Adventure Parks, kid-friendly menus in the on-slope restaurants and cafeterias, and non-skiing fun like snowtubing and the bungee trampoline.

Northstar is one of 14 Alpine resorts in the Lake Tahoe region. Unlike Squaw or Alpine, you won't find bowls and cornices at Northstar. Instead the skiing is all trail-cut with a bunch of awesome tree skiing. The tree skiing on Lookout Mountain rivals any found in the region. Combined with the widely spaced trees on the Backside, Northstar provides an excellent variety of tree skiing for everyone, from intermediates making their first forays into the woods to experts looking for the tightest glades they can ski.

The Ski Tahoe North Interchangeable ticket (1 877-949-3296) allows guests to ski/snowboard at Alpine Meadows, Diamond Peak, Homewood, Mt. Rose, Northstar, Squaw Valley and Sugar Bowl and accommodates those looking for the best conditions. There are wind holds on some mountains on some days and snow conditions vary from resort to resort. The ticket is $58 per person, per day for two-or-more-day tickets, is valid all season and doesn't need to be used on consecutive days. Tickets are two-for-one at Homewood and Diamond Peak.

Northstar-at-Tahoe Ski Resort Facts:

Summit elevation: 8,610 feet
Vertical drop: 2,280 feet
Base elevation: 6,330 feet

Expert: ++
Advanced: ++++
Intermediate: +++++
Beginner: +++++
First-timer: ++++

Address: Box 129, Truckee, CA 96160
Area code: 530
Ski area phone: 562-1010
Snow report: 562-1330
Toll-free reservations:
(800) 466-6784
E-mail: northstar@boothcreek.com
Internet: www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com

Number of lifts: 16—1 gondola, 7 high-speed quads, 1 triple, 2 doubles, 1 surface lift, 4 moving carpets
Snowmaking: 50 percent of developed acres
Skiable acreage: 2,420 acres
Uphill capacity: 21,800 per hour
Parks & pipes: 6 parks, 2 pipes
Bed base: 5,500 at resort
Nearest lodging: Ski-in/ski-out, slopeside
Resort child care: Yes, 2 years and older (toilet-trained)
Adult ticket, per day: $62–$74 (07/08)

North Lake Tahoe
Area Facts

Toll-free reservations:
(888) 434-1262 (North Lake Tahoe);
(800) 468-2463 (Incline Village/Crystal Bay);
(888) 448-7366 (Reno)
Internet: www.mytahoevacation.com (North Lake Tahoe); www.renolaketahoe.com (Reno)
E-mail: info@mytahoevacation.com (North Lake Tahoe)
or info@renolaketahoe.com (Reno)

Dining: +++
Apres-ski/nightlife: ++ (near the lake), ++++ (Reno)
Other activities: +++