Our Story

1972

• Originally known as “Timber Farm,” the mountain was acquired by Georgia Pacific.
• Named "Northstar Resort"
• The ski resort opened operations in December 1972.

1988

• The resort began to allow snowboarders on the lifts during the 1988.89 winter season.

1994

• The Forest lift was replaced with a Doppelmayr Express Quad and renamed "Vista Express" lift during the summer of 1994.
• The title to Northstar property passed from Fibreboard to Trimont during the summer of 1994.

1995

• The Big Springs real estate development began the summer of 1995. Forty-four lots in Phase I were all sold by November of that year.

1996

• Fibreboard sold the resort group to Gillett in the summer of 1996.
• Vertical Improvement Lessons and free advanced lessons were introduced during the 1996.97 season.
• Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc. acquired Trimont/Northstar in December 1996.

1997

• 25th anniversary season.
• Snow tubing was added under the Echo lift.
• Cat tours were offered on North Lookout.

1999

• Northstar Resort received county approval for the North Lookout lift and runs during the summer of 1999.
• Booth Creek signed a letter of intent with East-West Partners to develop Northstar's real estate.

2000

• Lookout Express lift and snowmaking on the terrain accessed by the lift began during the summer of 2000.
• Homerun, a new run off Boondocks to the homes at Big Springs and the parking lot, was cleared.
• The North Lookout area was renamed "Lookout Mountain" and opened during the 2000.01 season.

2002

• The Superpipe was moved from Pioneer to Lower Dropoff.
• The terrain park crew dramatically increased the number of features and added signature rails and fun boxes that were accessed off the Vista lift during the 2002.03 season.

2004

• The Clocktower building at the base of the mountain was deconstructed in May 2004.

2005

• The first phase of the Village at Northstar™ opened during the 2005.06 season and included three buildings and 60,000 square feet of commercial space that offered a variety of shopping options, galleries, cafes and restaurants all centered around a Village Plaza complete with a 9,000 square foot skating rink.

2006

• The summer of 2006 saw the groundbreaking for The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, located at mid-mountain at Northstar Resort. The Ritz-Carlton Highlands will be Lake Tahoe's first five-star luxury hotel.
• In conjunction with Burton Snowboards and Snow Park Technologies, Northstar Resort's terrain park crew constructed The Stash during the summer of 2006 – a first-of-its-kind run containing features made of materials that are natural to the area. The run combines park riding with backcountry feel and features for all levels of riding.
• In October 2006, Northstar Resort's first six-pack express chairlift, the Tahoe Zephyr Express opened. At the time, it was the only lift of its kind in the United States – a "chondola" containing both chairs and gondola cabins.
• During the 2006.07 winter season, the second phase of village construction was completed. This phase included additional luxury accommodations and 40,000 square feet of retail space.

2007

• In June 2007, the Northstar Resort Mountain Bike Park came back bigger and better than ever before. With more than 100 miles of trails, new trails and trail segments, skills development areas, a full-time trail crew and the introduction of LiveWire, Northstar Resort's first signature mountain bike trail, riders couldn't get enough.
• During the summer of 2007, the resort also offered free scenic chairlift rides for sightseeing and hiking, which were hugely popular.
• Construction of Village Walk, the third phase of Village construction began during the summer of 2007. Upon completion, Village Walk will contain 137 units (34 town homes and 103 condominiums).

2008

• In advance of the summer 2008 season, Northstar Resort's mountain bike trail crew constructed a jump park and a new beginner trail from the top of the gondola to the Village at Northstar, providing trails for all levels of rider.
• Northstar Resort invested more than $13 million in on-mountain improvements for the 2008.09 winter season. Improvements included the extension of ski trails and the express quad lift on Lookout Mountain — one of the areas of the resort offering advanced ski terrain — new snowmaking systems, tree thinning to make for improved glade skiing, increased lift capacity, and the widening of the ski area boundaries, increasing the resort's total skiable acreage by 414 acres to a total of 2,904 acres.
• Lookout Express lift was extended 2,246 feet and renamed "Martis Camp Express" for the 08.09 winter season.
• The Northstar Lodge, Hyatt Residence Club, located in the Village Walk area of the resort, opened the first phase in December 2008.
• A four year, $55 million dollar project, the Village at Northstar was completed with the addition of restaurants and retailers including Baxter's Bistro & Lounge, The Chocolate Bar, EuroGelato and the Northstar Logo Company.
  

2009

• Situated at mid-mountain at Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort, The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe will open December 9, 2009 featuring ski-in, ski-out access, mountain valet services, Manzanita, the resort’s signature restaurant created by renowned San Francisco chef Traci Des Jardins, and a 17,000 square foot spa and fitness center. The year-round destination includes 170 guest rooms, 23 private Ritz-Carlton Residences and 25 Ritz-Carlton Club fractional ownership units.
• The Highlands Gondola, a new fixed grip pulse gondola featuring 8 passenger cabins will provide a direct connection between the Village at Northstar™ and The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe (hotel scheduled to open December 2009), located at mid-mountain at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort.
• The Bear Paw double lift accessing the resort’s beginner teaching area has been replaced and realigned. The new fixed grip quad chairlift - The Big Easy - now provides ski-in, ski-out access to and from The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe from the mid-mountain area of Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort and greatly improves access to Northstar Resort’s beginner teaching terrain.
• Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort’s beginner teaching area was expanded and redesigned to include more of the sculpted terrain that the resort has successfully demonstrated helps improve the learning curve for beginning skiers and snowboarders.
• New snowmaking was added to the beginner teaching area of the mountain, allowing for ski-in/ski-out access from The Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, as well as improved early season conditions for those learning to ski and snowboard. This adds to Northstar Resort’s already extensive snowmaking system.
  

If the past 35 years have been this exciting, who's to say what the next 35 will bring you?  Stay tuned...