Northstar California, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort are looking ahead to the upcoming ski and ride season and are already planning for the snow to start falling. Northstar and Heavenly will open on November 22, with Kirkwood to follow on December 6, conditions allowing.
LAKE TAHOE, Calif., Aug. 14, 2024 – Northstar California, Heavenly Mountain Resort, and Kirkwood Mountain Resort are looking ahead to the upcoming ski and ride season and are already planning for the snow to start falling. Northstar and Heavenly will open on Friday, November 22, with Kirkwood to follow on Friday, December 6, conditions allowing.
Here’s our pre-winter checklist to start gearing up for the 2024/25 ski and ride season:
Discover what’s new at your favorite Tahoe mountains
Heavenly Mountain Resort’s signature events will take center stage again this season, with Toyota Air and Après returning once again, as well as the Brews and Views Après experience at Lakeview Lodge. New this season, Heavenly’s world-class Ski & Ride School will offer a 9-week Adult Development Team lessons for intermediate, advanced, and expert skiers and riders. Also new this winter, the California Lodge will debut its Golden State Kitchen, featuring California cuisine with healthier fare, re-envisioning traditional ski resort lodge food.
At Northstar California Resort, guests can enjoy a variety of progressive terrain options, including world-class grooming, terrain parks, glades, Kid’s Adventure Zones, and the Cross Country Center. Some fan-favorite events will return, including Women's Only Weekend, Spring It On, Pride Week, and the USASA Futures Tour. This winter, the resort proudly celebrates its Freestyle Team being named the “Freestyle Club of the Year” by U.S. Ski & Snowboard, a testament to its commitment to athlete development through exceptional staff, facilities, and terrain. Wild Pine and VOUS will be serving up warm drinks, signature cocktails, and hearty meals for those looking to dine in the Village.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort is known for its big-mountain adventure, skiers and riders of all skill levels are encouraged to push their boundaries in Kirkwood’s unparalleled terrain. Whether taking first turns with the Ski and Ride School, achieving new goals with Expedition: Kirkwood programs, or lapping the Wall with friends, Kirkwood promises an unforgettable winter. At the heart of the resort’s magic is its community, and this season brings back beloved events like the New Year's Eve Celebration, Banked Slalom, and Slush Cup. New this winter, Kirkwood will introduce a variety of parking options to enhance the arrival experience. A reservations-based parking program will be implemented for weekends and peak periods until 12pm in all lots, offering a mix of free, paid, and free carpool options. More details can be found via this link.
Save on your Tahoe ski trip with an Epic Pass
Skiers and riders have until September 2 to purchase an Epic Pass before prices increase. Epic Passes offer significant pre-season savings compared to lift ticket prices and, whether you plan to ski or ride one day or every day, there is a Pass option for everyone.
- Epic Day Pass (as low as $73 per day) offers skiers and riders the ability to build their own Pass – choosing 1-7 days to use throughout the season. Epic Day Passes provide up to 65% savings compared to lift ticket prices. Ski or ride for as low as $73 per day at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, and $95 per day at Park City Mountain.
- Tahoe Value Pass ($540) offers season-long access to Heavenly (excludes peak dates), Northstar and Kirkwood (excludes peak dates and Saturdays).
- Tahoe Local Pass ($634) provides access to the best of the Sierras and Rockies. It offers season-long access to Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood (excluding peak dates) and 5 days at bucket-list mountain resorts like Park City Mountain, Breckenridge, Vail Mountain and more (excludes peak dates).
- Epic Pass ($1,004) continues to offer the best deal in skiing and riding with unlimited, unrestricted access to resorts like Northstar, Heavenly, Kirkwood, Stevens Pass and Whistler Blackcomb, plus access to more than 80 resorts worldwide.
- Specialty Passes are available including active and retired Military and their dependents ($177), Veterans and their dependents ($573) and Adaptive Passes ($492) that offer access to 42 resorts at a discount. The Tahoe Local College Pass ($553) is a great option for students who want to ski or ride at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, plus Vail Mountain and more.
View all Epic Passes on epicpass.com before prices rise September 2.
Epic Passes also provide savings on other parts of the in-resort experience. Passes come with Epic Mountain Rewards, which offer exclusive discounts including 20% off on-mountain food and beverage, lodging, group ski and ride lessons, equipment rentals and more – all winter long.
Lock in access to premium gear, available slopeside, for only $50 with My Epic Gear
Travelers no longer have to buy and haul their equipment to and from ski resorts with the launch of My Epic Gear, a first-of-its-kind membership that combines the luxury of owning high-quality gear and the convenience of a premium valet. Members unlock access to more than 60 of the latest ski and snowboard models from 13 leading brands. The entire membership experience, from gear selection to free daily slopeside pick-up and drop-off, is available in the My Epic app.
Memberships are limited for the 2024/25 winter season, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. My Epic Gear is available for the whole family (ages 3 and up) at Heavenly and Northstar this year, as well as Whistler Blackcomb, Park City, Vail Mountain, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Crested Butte, Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. Memberships cost $50 for the 2024/25 season, with a $55 daily use fee for adults and $45 for kids (3-12).
Book lodging now for up to 35% off room rates
Skiers and riders who buy an Epic Pass now will get early access to Vail Resorts’ Winter Getaway Sale, offering discounted lodging rates for a limited time across hotels and vacation rentals at mountain resorts like Zalanta. With Epic Mountain Rewards, Pass Holders will be able to save up to 35% off room rates. Pass Holders can book preferred lodging beginning 8/22 by logging into their Epic Pass account and selecting the sale. Public access will be available online from 8/27-9/3.
Skip the ticket line, download My Epic app with Mobile Pass
Download the new My Epic app to use Mobile Pass this winter. Guests can buy their Pass online, activate and store it in the My Epic app, and scan their phone hands free at the lifts using low-energy Bluetooth® technology. Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets will be available at Vail Resorts’ 37 North American resorts during the 2024/25 season.
My Epic app will also feature enhanced stats tracking, Find My Friends, interactive trail maps – and with Buddy and Ski With a Friend Tickets available in app, your guest can skip the ticket line and head straight to the lift with you.
Get the latest news and be ready for your visit
Follow Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood for daily updates and real-time information, along with other important news throughout the season on the new My Epic app (once in the app, look for the bell in the top right corner to see a feed of real-time guest alerts) or on our social channels:
- Heavenly: Instagram, Facebook, Mountain Operations Twitter/X
- Northstar: Instagram, Facebook, Mountain Operation Twitter/X
- Kirkwood: Instagram, Facebook, Mountain Operations Twitter/X
###
About Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN)
Vail Resorts is a network of the best destination and close-to-home ski resorts in the world including Vail Mountain, Breckenridge, Park City Mountain, Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe, and 32 additional resorts across North America; Andermatt-Sedrun and Crans-Montana Mountain Resort in Switzerland; and Perisher, Hotham, and Falls Creek in Australia – all available on the company’s industry-changing Epic Pass. We are passionate about providing an Experience of a Lifetime to our team members and guests, and our EpicPromise is to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030, support our employees and communities, and broaden engagement in our sport. Our company owns and/or manages a collection of elegant hotels under the RockResorts brand, a portfolio of vacation rentals, condominiums and branded hotels located in close proximity to our mountain destinations, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Retail operates more than 250 retail and rental locations across North America. Learn more about our company at www.VailResorts.com, or discover our resorts and pass options at www.EpicPass.com.
Media Contacts
Heavenly: Cole Zimmerman | Cole.Zimmerman@vailresorts.com
Northstar: Ashlee Lambert | Ashlee.Lambert@vailresorts.com
Kirkwood: Carly Mangan | Carly.C.Mangan@vailresorts.com