Kirkwood vs Heavenly vs Northstar California - Epic Battle In Lake Tahoe

Got yourself an EPIC PASS and thinking of making a trip out to Lake Tahoe to ski or snowboard the world class ski resorts which call this region their home? The good news is that there are three major resorts to choose from, the hard thing might be choosing which resort to visit or even base yourself at as they aren’t exactly close to each other. Combined the resorts offer over 10,000 skiable acres, have unlimited access on range of epic passes, each roughly see the same amount of snowfall as well as sunshine per season and offer terrain which is suitable to all skill levels. But, not all skiers and snowboarders are made equal and nor are the ski resorts. So in this video we are going to take a look at some key categories and tell you which of the three resorts come out of top to help you choose which resort you should visit for your next ski trip out west.

We visited all three resorts in February of 2023 which was a record breaking snow season and lead to some incredible days on the mountain, plus we are from Australia so the resorts in Lake Tahoe blew our mind and we were just happy to be riding during the Australian summer.

Ski Resort Size

All three of the resorts are large when compared to many other resorts in North America, actually one of these resorts is the fifth largest resort in North America.

Kirkwood: is home to 2,300 acres of terrain that is spread across three main faces of the mountain peaks the resort calls home and covers the 85 marked trails.

Northstar California: has over 3,170 acres of skiable terrain that towers above the base village. The terrain at Northstar has a lot more groomed runs when compared to the other resorts and is home to 100 marked trails to explore.

Heavenly Mountain Resort: is as previously mentioned the 5th largest ski resort in North America with a whopping 4,800 acres of terrain which spans over two states and has numerous base areas.

Winner: The clear winner here is Heavenly Mountain Resort with its huge footprint that spans two states and is home to 97 marked trails.

Lift System

Heavenly: It takes a behemoth lift system to move all the annual visitors around this giant ski resort and that’s why Heavenly is home to 28 different lifts. With the resort having a long history in the Lake Tahoe region it sometimes can feel like taking these lifts are akin to a history lesson, from the vintage double chairs, old school aerial tramway right through to brand new express quad lifts.

Kirkwood: Kirkwood is home to the oldest lift system out of these three resorts with the newest lift going in 18 years ago, however that’s part of the appeal of the overall mountain experience. 15 different lifts take riders high into the rugged alpine with many of them being fixed grip which allows you to disconnect and either enjoy the ride or spot your next line.

Northstar: 20 different lifts span out over the diverse terrain at Northstar California and it feels like the lift system is just as diverse. Here you will get old school triples from the 70s, high speed quads as well as 6 and 8 person gondola’s.

Winner: Heavenly has the most diverse lift system of all three resorts with aerial trams, a gondola and one the largest collection of lifts found at any single ski resort in California.

Total Snowfall

Kirkwood: Being tucked deep and hidden into the mountains means the snowfall seems less interrupted at Kirkwood mountain resort. The ski area sees 354” or 899cm of snow on an average season which is plenty of the white stuff to create a number of deep powder days across a season.

Northstar: Home to 350” or 889cm of snow each winter season typically has Northstar up and running by the holiday season and this natural snowfall is topped off by a quality and quite advanced snow making system across the main areas at the resort.

Heavenly: Heavenly sits higher of all three which gives it a slight advantage however a lot of the main terrain zones which provide access to these high elevations are quite low. With an average annual snowfall of 360” or 914cm the peak time to visit Heavenly is between mid January through to early march

Winner: We declare this category a draw as the resorts all get a very similar average snowfall however we feel like the snow at Kirkwood is a touch more exceptional plus with the lower amount of visitors the fresh snow last longer.

Beginner Terrain

Heavenly: The beginner terrain at Heavenly is interesting, for such a large resort its weird to see the beginner zones spread so far across the many areas, and to make matters worse you can’t get between them. With 8% of the terrain graded green for beginners you are going to have to choose a zone to base yourself at, whether that’s the enchanted forest at California Lodge, the Boulder learning zone or the Learn to ski area at the Tamarack Lodge and then spend your day there, the only benefit is that across a number of days you can change the beginner scenery if you like.

Kirkwood: 12% might seem like a small number however when it comes to beginner terrain you never need a large area, what really helps beginners learn is the ability to do so in a secluded area, this is where Kirkwood shines thanks to the Timber Creek Base area which is home to a collection of beginner carpets and lifts. Over in the main mountain village there is a small beginner area however these trails all connect with other advanced and intermediate trails.

Northstar: The beginner terrain at Northstar is all centrally located around and above the Lodge at Big Springs. The big easy is a beginner exclusive lift that provides a dedicated zone for you to get comfortable before elevating higher into the resort on the Arrow Express. With 13% of the marked trails graded green the resort allows for easy progression and is the only resort which has a wide open green trail that makes it way back down to the base village and allows for beginners to experience ski in ski out on their first day on the slopes.

Winner: Again, another draw across all three resorts for anyone who is staying at one of the bases however if you are travelling to one of the resorts for the their beginner terrain we would say Northstar is the standout here thanks to its dedicated terrain pod plus overall mountain ammenities for when you get tired from riding.

Intermediate Terrain

Heavenly: Heavenly has the highest allocation of intermediate trails with 62% marked blue. From nearly every single main lift there are endless trails to choose from with the likes of Powderbowl, Canyon, Tamarack, Comet, Dipper, Olympic and Galaxy all providing access to what feels like endless intermediate options. The views from the higher elevation intermediate trails are hard to beat however one major downside is a lot of the intermediate terrain to get between the two sides of the resort are long cat tracks which have a number of flat spots.

Kirkwood: When you look at the Kirkwood trail map its hard to spot the blue runs at first, they all seem to be the lower section of an advanced run that starts at the top of the ridge line. Upon closer inspection you can see there are a number of lifts which rise just high enough to access the top of these intermedia te trails. 30% of the terrain at Kirkwood is allocated to intermediate riders with some of the best runs being serviced by the Solitude triple chair and the Caples Crest triple.

Northstar: Take a look at the Northstar trail map and it appears like the whole resort is intermediate trail, well it’s not far off with 60% of the terrain graded blue for intermediates. Not only are there intermediate trails for as far as the eye can see, they are all groomed to perfection which means you can get some serious speed and perfect your turning. The Comstock Express, Tahoe Zephyr and Promised Land Express are the standout lifts for intermediate riders.

Winner: We think it’s a draw here between Heavenly and Northstar. Heavenly because of the endless options plus lifts that exclusively serve a large portion of intermediate trails. Northstar because the intermediate terrain has a consistent pitch, the grooming is world class and the whole front side of the resort has 5 lifts and endless blue trail options.

Advanced & Expert Terrain

Heavenly: Heavenly isn’t the most extreme resort in the Lake Tahoe basin but with 30% of the trails marked single and double black diamond you will find some incredible trails that have some serious vertical. The whole canyon beneath the Sky Express chair is a haven for advanced riders, on the Nevada side of the resort they have Mott and Killebrew Canyon which is inbound gate expert terrain, not for the faint hearted and then towering above the California Lodge Base is the Gunbarrel Face, over 1,500 ft of double black leg burning moguls.

Kirkwood: Find yourself always gravitating to the advanced and expert trails at a resort, Kirkwood might just be where you are heading with your Epic Pass next season. A whopping 58% of the terrain is advanced to expert and after personally taking on a number of these trails they are tough and technical. Cornice Express will take you to steep groomed advanced trails which are fast! From this lift you can also traverse out tot he Sentinel Bowl for some high alpine trails which connect down into tight trees. The Wall triple takes you high into the mountains where you will find a collection of experts only trails plus you can use this lift to access the Devils Corral which is home to some of the toughest chutes at the resort.

Northstar: Home to two advanced terrain pods on both the frontside and the backside of the resort allows for 27% of the terrain at Northstar to carry the single black diamond rating. The Martis Camp zone has numerous advanced trails which flow from top to bottom however its a bit tricky to reach this terrain pod and requires a long cat track or short ride on a connector poma lift, but the steeps and moguls are worth the journey. Over on the backside of the resort you will find 12 advanced trails with top to bottom riding of over 1,800ft of vertical which is serviced by an express quad. This zone at Northstar is longest vertical drop of any single chairlift in the Lake Tahoe basin and it predominantly services advanced riding, sign us up!

Winner: Kirkwood takes the crown when it comes to advanced and expert terrain as it feels like the technical trails can be found in every part of the resort. If you are visiting Kirkwood a run down THE WALL is a must do trail for any rider who can ride advanced and expert trails.

Lodging & Accommodation

Kirkwood offers up a range of accommodation options however it’s limited when compared to the other resorts. All the accommodation is found in and around the base area with a handful of properties offering ski in ski out options.

Heavenly towers high above South Lake Tahoe and this is where majority of the accommodation is located for visitors to Heavenly. The only limitation is that there is no ski in ski out options in South Lake Tahoe but the price and access to ammenities make it standout. There are further accommodation options located at the California Lodge base as well as the Boulder and Stagecoach base areas, however these options are limited and don’t have the same access to general ammenities.

Northstar is home to what feels like a true European village, and whilst it it designed to feel that way it really feels magical when the snow is falling, the lifts are spinning and the fires are burning. The village has everything from hotel rooms, small condos through to multi bedroom apartments which will fit the whole family, plus for those who want to splurge there is a Ritz Carlton which is one of only 3 at ski resorts in North America. Staying at Northstar village doesn’t come cheap however if access, ammenities and ski in ski out options are important to you then Northstar is the place to go.

Winner: Whilst each of these resorts offer accomodation it’s the standout village at Northstar that soars above the rest with its comprehensive lodging options surrounded by restaurants, bars and ability to ski and snowboard directly to your accommodation.

On Mountain Facilities

Kirkwood: Sunrise Grill is the only restaurant facility that is located out in the resort at Kirkwood, here riders can stop for lunch, a beverage or a restroom stop whilst out on the backside of the resort. All the other facilities you would need during your day of riding can be found at the two mountain base zones at Kirkwood, which isn’t so bad considering all trails typically run from top to bottom at this resort.

Northstar: When exploring Northstar there are two main lodges where you can refuel and rest without having to make your way down to the base. The Summit Smokehouse is obviously found, as the name suggests, at the top of the resort and the newly upgraded Zephyr Lodge can be located at the top of the Tahoe Zephyr express lift. There is also the Lodge at Big Springs however with the layout of Northstar we consider this zone the main functioning base of the resort. Whilst it’s not really an on mountain facility the Tost bar is a pretty cool experience, riders can turn up at 2pm and toast a free glass of champagne with other riders, if you are visiting Northstar you should 100% add this to your list of things to do at the resort.

Heavenly: Heavenly has lodges and facilities located all over the resort as it sort of needs to because it’s so large and getting back to the base zones is quite a challenge. The largest on mountain restaurant is the Tamarack Lodge which has all the conveniences required for a pit stop when exploring the California side of the resort. If you are in the lower California zones you can stop by the Sky Deck for an outdoor b experience or check out the Umbrella Bar. Over on the Nevada side of the resort the East Peak Lodge sits comfortably between the Dipper and Comet express lifts and serves up great food and drinks all day.

Winner: Heavenly takes the cake when it comes to on Mountain Facilities with plenty of options to suit any kind of rider plus they are located in all major terrain pods which means you don’t need to traverse or descend to the base to get a drink, snack or use the restroom.

Based on each of the categories, Heavenly has ranked higher than the other two when it comes to size, lifts intermediate terrain and on mountain facilities. Northstar stands out for its beginner zone, intermediate offering and lodging options. Kirkwood stands strong with snow quality and advanced and expert terrain.