by Edie Thys
Article Courtesy Skinet.com

Once the domain of day skiers and young families, Northstar-at-Tahoe is reclaiming its cool factor with a brand-new village and planned mountain upgrades. Image courtesy of Mike Eadington/High Mountain Imagery/Northstar-at-Tahoe.

I’m savoring beet salad and roasted sweet potatoes while my kids devour veggie-studded mac-and-cheese in the airy, Zen-like space of Earthly Delights in the new Village at Northstar. It’s a late lunch because my boys couldn’t resist the bungee trampoline in the village center. It could have been even later if we’d gone ice skating on the outdoor rink or stopped into clothes boutique Butterbox—complete with an in-house DJ. In fact, when I think of all the diversions, I’m proud to have made it here at all, and when we polish off our healthy smorgasbord, we may just deserve a stop at the make-your-own-s’mores kiosk.

Until recently, no one accused Northstar of being cool. Friendly? Like good neighbors at every turn. Family oriented? Right down to the patented child-securing grab the lifties know by heart. But cool? Something about the ’70s-era condos just scream “I’m outdated.” And a resort built on family-friendliness isn’t where you go looking for trends. Until now, that is.

To be fair, I’m not entirely surprised to find myself in an oasis of cool, because subtle changes have been transforming Northstar’s mountain over the years. The sheltered bowl nestled into a ridge above Tahoe’s North Shore debuted in 1972 as a PG-rated resort, a padded cell that offered windless refuge in Sierra storms, gentle rolling slopes and naturally gladed terrain. With a core of impeccable skier service, the resort steadily matured, first with deliciously steep backside runs to satisfy expert skiers, then an array of terrain parks for all ages. The Lookout runs added still more steep terrain, while snow toys and tubing at midmountain brought an amusement-park dimension to the resort. Today, experts have 240 acres of backcountry to explore in Sawtooth Ridge and the resort’s VIPs—kids—are indulged with adventure parks and snow play areas all across the mountain.

But while this evolution has been gradual, Northstar’s new $250 million Village is more like a sudden “Voila!” Developed by Booth Creek and East West Partners, the village aims for top-level accommodations and services, tempered with a friendly, California-casual feel. Heath Nielsen, Booth Creek’s Vice President of Commercial Properties and Operations, explains that the mix of shops, restaurants and activities in the village reflect what northern Californians—more than 13 million of whom live within a three-and-ahalf- hour drive of Northstar—like. “We didn’t want to be this luxury, Corianwrapped, exclusive resort,” says Nielsen. “This is not Aspen. You won’t find Burberry or Fendi or Prada.” Accordingly, the village is anchored by nationally recognized staples and heavily flavored with local and regional flair. You’ll see Starbucks and The North Face, but also local favorites Earthly Delights and Reno-based Elite Feet.

It's impossible to avoid views of Lake Tahoe from Northstar's slopes. But who'd want to? Image courtesy of Mike Eadington/High Mountain Imagery/Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Like California itself, Northstar’s new village is about hanging out in style, be it outside at the s’mores kiosk or inside at one of the art galleries. At clothing boutique True North, shoppers can take five at Grape and Grounds, the in-store wine and coffee bar. Tying things together are events that bring the village to life, such as ice skating, live music, fire pits and the all-weather bungee trampoline, which, I found, parents might want to steer clear of unless they’ve got a spare hour or so.

In addition to 100,000 square feet of commercial space, the village features 100 upscale one- to four-bedroom condos, all sporting stainless-steel appliances, flatscreen TVs, gas fireplaces, washer/dryers and plenty of room to spread out.

“The Village is one very important piece of the puzzle, but it’s not the only one,” says Tim Beck, Booth Creek’s executive vice president of planning. Phase two, due to open this winter, adds 40,000 square feet of commercial space plus 93 condos. By 2009, watch for the 172-room, $300 million, full-service Ritz-Carlton Resort & Spa midmountain.

Amidst the building boom, skiers can rest assured they’re not being ignored. Beck estimates there are 10 years of on-mountain improvements to come, including new lifts and trails. The first step is a Chondola (gondola cabins rotated in with regular chairs) to replace the Pioneer double, providing a direct route to the new Shaeffers Camp restaurant and fast access to the double-black backside runs. Parking problems, Northstar’s Achilles’ heel, will be greatly alleviated this season by a 1,200- space lot connected via shuttle to the Village. And Dial-a-Ride buses deliver you anywhere on Northstar property.

The goal is to offer families an experience not found anywhere else in Tahoe: You drive in, park your car, and don’t see it until you leave. “This winter will be the first time guests can get a taste of that,” says Nielsen. Who says family friendly isn’t cool?