Story Ideas & What’s New for the 2011-2012 Winter Season
Over the last six years, Northstar-at-Tahoe™ Resort has evolved to offer the only boutique mountain resort experience in the Lake Tahoe region. With mountain enhancements, the new $55 million Village at Northstar™ development which was complete a few years ago, and the new Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe that opened in late 2009, the resort has evolved to provide an all-inclusive experience that caters to both the value-conscience snow sports enthusiasts, as well as the guest seeking a luxury vacation.
The vacation experience only gets better for the 2011-2012 season as Vail Resorts, Inc. plans to invest $30 million in capital improvement projects to enhance the guest experience at the resort. When you think of Northstar® Resort now, we hope you’ll think of:
- Award-winning terrain parks
- A great family destination
- Tree skiing – an undiscovered, stellar experience
- Vacation values for both budget conscious and luxury travelers
- Fresh, contemporary Village that makes Northstar the all inclusive mountain resort experience in Lake Tahoe.
- A great place to relax by the fire. Northstar Resort offers a variety of fire pits conveniently located throughout the Village at Northstar and on the mountain.
- Wonderful, friendly service that is welcoming to all visitors.
$30 Million in Improvements
Vail Resorts is investing more than $30 million in major capital improvement projects at its newest mountain resort property that will greatly enhance the guest experience both on the mountain and in the Village at Northstar. Plans include the installation of a new high-speed chairlift that will service expanded gladed terrain and additional ski trails, increasing the skiable terrain by 10 percent, construction of a new 500-seat on-mountain restaurant, and new national retail outlets in the Village at Northstar to bring additional energy to the popular mountain resort.
On-Mountain Improvements
With a vertical rise of 1,440 feet, the new detachable express quad chairlift will be installed on The Backside of the mountain, providing access to expanded gladed terrain and new ski trails. The new lift will significantly expand the resort’s lift capacity on The Backside, which is an area known for its long, uninterrupted advanced tails and gladed tree skiing. Two new intermediate trails will be served by the lift and new snowmaking will be installed on both Drifter, and existing trail that also provides access to The Backside, and one of the new trails.
In addition to the lift, a new on-mountain restaurant will be constructed offering 500 indoor seating as well as 200 outdoor deck seats. Centrally located on the mountain near the top of the Tahoe Zephyr Express lift, the new restaurant will be built in Tahoe great lodge style with an open floor plan, large timbers and a huge window wall offer spectacular views of the Pacific Crest. Guests will be able to enjoy a variety of menu options including a Napa salad bar, gourmet pizza and specialty soups and sandwiches. Skiers and snowboarders will access the new restaurant off of the Tahoe Zephyr Express, Backside Express and Comstock Express lifts as well as the new express chairlift.
Village at Northstar Enhancements
Already a popular gathering area for resort guests of all ages, the Village at Northstar will continue to evolve with an exciting new retail tenant mix. Plans for the next season include opening national retail outlets of Patagonia and Burton, as well as expanding the North Face store in a new location. Vail Resorts also plans to make further enhancements to the Village entertainment experience to add vibrancy and new excitement to the state-of-the-art base area.
In addition to coming changes, two new boutique style movie theaters recently opened in the Village at Northstar, offering resort guests and members of the community yet another opportunity to relax and rejuvenate with friends and family when they visit the resort. Located near the entrance to the Village at Northstar, The Village Cinemas feature two screens, show Hollywood hits and offer a full service concession stand featuring popcorn, candy and beverages.
Two Tahoe Resorts, Two Distinctive Experiences, One Convenient Pass
New for 2011-2012, the Tahoe Value Pass™, priced at $379, is ideal for people who plan to ski or ride seven days a week at Heavenly and six days a week at Northstar Resort. The Tahoe Value Pass™ offers limited access to Heavenly and Northstar-at-Tahoe, with Saturdays excluded at Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort. Pass holders can purchase access to either resort on restricted days for $50 per day. Other season pass options are also available.
Families Love Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort
Media outlets such as SKI, Sherman’s Travel, Away.com and Orbitz.com continually rate Northstar Resort among the top family resorts in the country. From an engaging mascot, to special family offers and a plethora of ski and non-skiing activities, Northstar Resort is the place to be this winter for families.
On-Mountain Experience for the Whole Family
Each area of Northstar Resort offers a distinctive experience for skiers and snowboarders of all ability levels. Magic Moguls, a favorite trail of many families that features a field of bumps and bends, as well as Northstar Resort’s award-winning terrain parks are located off of the Vista Express chairlift. On the Tahoe Zephyr Express side of the mountain, terrain includes the infamous Stash, and is a great place to go first thing in the morning for sunny runs and soft snow. The Backside is known for its nine one-mile long trails, and if it’s incredible tree skiing and steepness that are desired, Lookout Mountain is sure to please.
Little Red Wagon Gets a Makeover
Northstar Resort was designed with families in mind – from the way the mountain funnels into one central location to the convenient, free on-site bus service that takes guests to and from the Village at Northstar from their cars or in-resort lodging. Once in the Village, families can use complimentary wagons to tote equipment or kids around the resort. Kids’ Ski & Snowboard School check-in is located in the heart of the Village for ease in dropping children off for daily lessons. And, complimentary evening valet parking is available Thursday through Sunday nights for those who dine in the Village at Northstar.
Marty the Martian Entertains & Engages Families
The resort’s mascot Marty the Martian can be seen almost daily entertaining children in the Village during après ski. He also makes appearances at breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8 to 9:30 a.m. at TC’s Pub in the Village at Northstar.
Burton Snowboard Academy Continues to Set the Standard in Learning
Northstar Resort is the exclusive home to the Burton Snowboard Academy - a first-of-its-kind learning program designed to welcome new riders to the sport, encourage the progression of those already in the sport, and provide a customized experience built around an entirely new terrain-based teaching methodology. Satisfaction in guaranteed at the Burton Snowboard Academy. The resort promises guests will love the Burton Snowboard Academy experience and will be linking turns on the first day. Should students not link their turns the first day, the Academy welcomes them back for a second day with the “Learn to Turn Guarantee.”
Four Season Resort – Summer in Lake Tahoe
Although the white snow beckons skiers and snowboarders in the winter, the brilliant blue water of Lake Tahoe is a magnet for travelers in the summer. Northstar Resort has designed a line-up of events, activities and family-friendly programming to engage guests when the snow melts. Summer activities include mountain biking, golfing, scenic chairlift rides for sightseeing and hiking, horseback riding, fly-fishing, roller skating and much more.
The season of sun features the resort’s own mountain bike series and a number of food, wine, and music events around the mountain and throughout the Village at Northstar, including the Lake Tahoe Music Festival and the Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival. For a complete schedule of events, visit www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com.
About Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort
One of the finest year-round mountain resorts in North America, Northstar Resort is host to a base area village featuring unique shops and restaurants, a conference center, 9,000 square foot outdoor skating rink, movie theaters, on-site lodging, special events and more. A winter sport enthusiast’s paradise, Northstar Resort offers 95 ski trails spread across 3,000 acres, award-winning terrain parks and snow sports including alpine and Telemark skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and tubing. Summer activities include mountain biking, golfing, scenic lift rides for sightseeing and hiking, horseback riding, fly-fishing and more.
Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort is located on Highway 267, just six miles north of Lake Tahoe and six miles south of downtown Truckee. For more information, call 1.800.GO.NORTH (1.800.466.6784) or visit www.NorthstarAtTahoe.com.
About Vail Resorts
Vail Resorts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, is the leading mountain resort operator in the United States. The Company's subsidiaries operate the mountain resort properties of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone mountain resorts in Colorado, and the Heavenly Ski Resort and Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada, and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company's subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort property and hotel company, manages casually elegant properties across the United States and in the Caribbean. Vail Resorts Development Company is the real estate planning, development and construction subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc. Vail Resorts is a publicly held company traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: MTN). The Vail Resorts company website is www.vailresorts.com and consumer website is www.snow.com.