Northstar

Northstar

The ski bus to Northstar from the Bay Area

Round-trip bus from San Jose, San Francisco and Walnut Creek to Northstar, Martis Valley, just outside Truckee on the north side of the lake. Known for its grooming, with a village built for hanging around after the lifts close.

Bus only, $109 round trip. Northstar trips on sale are listed at the bottom of this page.

Summit
8,610 ft
Base
6,330 ft
 
 
 
 
Northstar, to scaleGolden Gate Bridge towers, 746 ft each

2,280 feet of vertical. Stack three Golden Gate Bridge towers and you are still 42 feet short.

Northstar by the numbers

3,170skiable acres
100trails
20lifts
350"average snowfall a year
3 milongest run, East Ridge to Logger's Loop to Woods

Terrain mix

 
 
 
13% beginner
60% intermediate
27% advanced

Riding to Northstar with us

Ride up, typical pickup times
4:00amSan Jose Park n Ride
5:00amSan Francisco, 16th St
5:30amWalnut Creek Park n Ride
Bus leaves Northstar at 4:30pm sharp
Ride home, typical drop-off times
7:45 to 8:00pmWalnut Creek
8:30 to 8:45pmSan Francisco
9:15 to 9:30pmSan Jose

Each trip page lists that trip's exact pickup times. Drop-off times depend on traffic.

4,158riders on 70 trips to Northstar with us since 2018Sundaysour most common day for Northstar tripsEpic Passworks here, so pass holders only need the bus

Good to know

  • 10 terrain parks, plus 347 acres of gate-accessed terrain for advanced skiers.
  • 60 percent of the terrain is intermediate, so mixed groups stay together.
  • The village has an ice rink, firepits, shops and cafes at the base.
  • Lift tickets, rentals and lessons are not included. Buy tickets and book lessons with Northstar. For rentals, use rentskis.com or Last Minute Gear.

Mountain stats: Northstar California mountain info page, checked for the 2026-27 season. Rider counts: Tahoe Ski Trips records.