Northstar California Opening Day

Northstar California is targeting Friday, November 20, 2026 for opening day of the 2026-27 ski season, weather and conditions permitting. The Vail Resorts-owned mountain sits off Highway 267 between Truckee and Kings Beach, and its target date puts it among the earliest planned openings around Lake Tahoe this season.

What Northstar Opening Day Is Like

Northstar opening day starts in The Village at Northstar, where skiers and riders load the Big Springs Gondola for the ride up the mountain. Early-season terrain leans heavily on snowmaking, so expect a short list of open runs rather than the full 3,170 acres, 100 trails and 20 lifts the mountain offers once winter fills in. That's the trade-off locals happily make for first turns of the year. Last season, Vail set Northstar's opening for December 6, 2025, with lifts starting at 9 a.m., mountain access on the Big Springs Gondola and skiing off the Vista Express, while The Village rounded out the day with live music, coffee at VOUS, shopping, a signature drink from the Rink Bar and s'mores around the fire. It's a social, easygoing scene that suits families and intermediate skiers, which fits a mountain where about 60% of the terrain is rated intermediate.

Event Highlights

The first chairs of the season are the main event, and Northstar's wide, groomed runs make early laps feel cruisy even on limited terrain. Once more of the mountain opens, Northstar's 10 terrain parks and 347 acres of gate-accessed terrain round things out, and the summit tops out at 8,610 feet. Back at the base, The Village is a big part of the Northstar experience, with shops, restaurants and an outdoor skating rink that is a winter staple. Northstar hasn't published opening day festivities or lift plans for 2026-27 yet, so watch the resort's lift and terrain status page and the My Epic App in the days before November 20 to see exactly what will be spinning.

Tickets, Passes and What to Bring

Northstar is part of the Epic Pass network, and an Epic Pass gives unlimited access. Northstar says Epic Day Passes can save up to 55% compared with lift tickets, and it warns that lift tickets will be limited, so buy ahead rather than counting on the ticket window. Good news for opening day: Friday, November 20 is not a restricted date at Northstar on the 2026-27 Epic Local, Tahoe Local, Tahoe Value or Epic Day Pass, though the Tahoe Value Pass is restricted at Northstar on Saturdays all season. Northstar's base sits at 6,330 feet, and early-season mornings can be cold and firm, so pack warm layers, goggles for flat light and a little patience for the first-day crowd.

Parking and Getting There

Northstar hasn't posted its 2026-27 parking rules yet, so treat last season's setup as a guide. In 2025-26, the Castle Peak lots were free every day with no reservation, served by a shuttle to The Village. The Village View lot was free on non-peak weekdays and required a reservation on weekends and peak dates from 7 to 11:30 a.m., at $20 for cars with three or fewer people and free for carpools of four or more. A paid Preferred lot was also available by reservation. Since opening day falls on a Friday before the holidays, it should be one of the easier days to park, but check the Northstar parking page before you drive. TART's Highway 267 bus also runs daily between Crystal Bay and Truckee with stops near Northstar Village, and Placer County has extended free TART fares into late 2027.

Get lift tickets and opening updates from Northstar California, and see how it compares with Palisades in our guide to the best ski resorts in Lake Tahoe.