From Firelite Lodge in Tahoe Vista, you can be at Northstar in about 15 minutes. There are two catches, though: the roads have to be clear, and you have to be on the road before 8 in the morning. If you leave at 9 or 10 and the roads are bad, it can be a much, much longer drive, and then you’re hunting for a parking spot when you get there. Most of our guests are Northstar people, and if you’re comparing hotels near Northstar California, that morning is the whole game, so this post is mostly about getting it right, with a few notes on the days you might want to go somewhere else.
Leave before 8. That’s the whole trick.
Here’s the thing about Northstar: there’s one road in and one road out, and that’s Highway 267. It’s two lanes, everybody from Kings Beach and Truckee is trying to get up it at the same time, and the parking lots fill up fast. It gets pretty hectic. Our guests who have a good day are the ones leaving the lodge around 7:45 or 8. The ones who leave at 9 end up sitting in a line on 267 and then circling the lots.
On a real powder day, leave even earlier than that. On a quiet midweek day you’ve got a little more room, but 8 is still a good habit.
Parking at Northstar
If you leave at 8, you can get a spot in the lots at the Village. The green lot is one of the better ones to land in, and it’s usually full by about 9, which tells you most of what you need to know. Northstar has a mix of free and paid lots, they use reservations on weekends and peak dates for the closer lots, and there’s a free shuttle from the overflow lots. The rules and lot names change from season to season, so look at Northstar’s parking page the night before instead of going off what it was last year.
A North Lake Tahoe ski base 15 minutes from Northstar
Firelite Lodge is across the street from the lake in Tahoe Vista. Fireplace rooms, drip trays for your gear, and a quiet start to the day before 267 wakes up. Check your dates below and book direct for the best rate.
Epic or Ikon?
Our regulars carry the Epic Pass, because Northstar is the closest mountain to us and it’s an Epic mountain. Ikon is Palisades. We don’t get as many Palisades guests. If you already have Ikon, Palisades is a fine drive from here along the north shore and through Tahoe City, and plenty of people do it. It’s just not what most of our guests pick. If you’re buying a pass to ski from Firelite, Epic is the one that gets used.
The days to skip Northstar
We get a lot of Northstar diehards, but we also get Mt. Rose guests, and some days they’ve got the better plan. A few situations where I’d send you somewhere else:
- A warm week. Mt. Rose has the highest base elevation in the Tahoe area, and it’s about 30 minutes from the lodge up the Mt. Rose Highway. When it’s slushy down at the lake, Rose usually still feels like winter.
- A holiday Saturday when you slept in. If you missed the 8 o’clock window, Northstar’s lots are a bad bet by mid-morning. Mt. Rose or Diamond Peak in Incline Village will get you on a lift faster.
- You have Ikon. Palisades. Leave early for the same reason, since the road into Olympic Valley and the lots fill up too.
- You want it quiet. Diamond Peak. It’s actually my favorite mountain. It’s a really pleasant day, not a lot of people go, and I’d kind of like to keep it that way, so that’s all I’m going to say about it.
Drying your gear in the room
We have drip trays in the rooms at Firelite, so you can set your boots and gear on those, and there’s a nice hanging rack as well. There’s a heater, and the fireplace can get ripping and keep the whole room warm. Please don’t set your gear on or right next to the fireplace, though. It’s a fire hazard, and it’s not great for your boots either. What I’d do is preheat the room before you go to dinner, make sure there’s a little airflow, and let the warm room do the work. Everything is dry by morning.
One more thing I was always told growing up, which is to lay your boots on their side to dry. I honestly have no idea if it works any better. I’ve done it my whole life and my boots are dry in the morning, so take that for whatever it’s worth.
Quick facts
| Northstar from Firelite Lodge | |
|---|---|
| Drive | About 15 minutes when roads are clear and you leave before 8 AM |
| Road | Highway 267, one road in and one out; congested after 8 |
| Parking | Village lots fill by about 9 on weekends; see Northstar’s parking page for current rules |
| Pass | Epic (Northstar). Ikon is Palisades |
| Alternatives | Mt. Rose about 30 min (highest base); Diamond Peak in Incline; Palisades for Ikon |
| Gear | Drip trays and a hanging rack in every room; keep it off the fireplace |
Our current deals are on the offers page, the FAQ covers check-in and parking, and if you want to know what 267 looked like this morning before you book, get in touch. We drive it too.
About 15 minutes by car when the roads are clear and you leave before 8 AM. On a snowy weekend morning after 9, the drive up Highway 267 and the search for parking take considerably longer.
Between 7:45 and 8 AM. Highway 267 is the only road in and out of Northstar, and the Village parking lots are typically full by about 9 on weekends.
On weekends and peak dates, Northstar uses reservations for its closer lots and runs a free shuttle from overflow parking. Rules and lot names change by season, so check northstarcalifornia.com/parking the night before.
Epic. Northstar is the closest mountain to the lodge and is on the Epic Pass. Ikon covers Palisades Tahoe, which is a longer drive along the north shore.
Mt. Rose, about 30 minutes from Firelite Lodge, has the highest base elevation in the Tahoe area and holds winter conditions when the lake-level resorts get slushy.
Yes. Every room has a drip tray and a hanging rack, and the room heater and fireplace warm the room quickly. Keep gear away from the fireplace.
