Heavenly vs Northstar
One clear look at snowfall, elevation, and access, so you know which to ski.
Heavenly
CA · 10,067 ft
Northstar
CA · 8,610 ft
Side-by-Side
| Metric | Heavenly | Northstar |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Tahoe CA | Tahoe CA |
| Summit elevation | 10,067 ft 6,540 ft base | 8,610 ft 6,330 ft base |
| NWS forecast bias | Pending grade pending | Pending grade pending |
| Season snowfall | 0" 1 storm | 0" 1 storm |
| Avg storm-day rate | 0.4"/day | 0.3"/day |
| Best storm | 7/100 Tracked | 7/100 Tracked |
| SNOTEL record | 1 storm-days measured | 1 storm-days measured |
| Community reports | 37 TGR posts | 7 TGR posts |
| Nearest airport | RNO | RNO |
| Drive time | 1h 58 mi · RNO | 0.67h 35 mi · RNO |
| Access difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Pass | Epic | Epic |
Snowfall totals come from each resort's tracked storms. NWS forecast grades read “pending” everywhere: six winters of checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct, so we show the raw NWS number and do not grade it.
The Verdict
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Heavenly and Northstar and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
Heavenly and Northstar ran neck-and-neck this season, about 0" and 0" of snowfall respectively.
Northstar is the easier trip — about 0.67h from RNO (Reno), versus 1h from RNO for Heavenly.
Best for
Heavenly — chasing the biggest totals — it out-snowed Northstar this season.
Best for
Northstar — quick-strike trips — the easier drive at ~0.67h from RNO.
Local Knowledge
TGR Community IntelHeavenly
Monitor wind direction - gondola closes at slightest breeze.
Northstar
Local intel is still being compiled for Northstar.
FAQ
Does Heavenly or Northstar get more snow?
Heavenly and Northstar ran neck-and-neck this season, about 0" and 0" of snowfall respectively.
Is Heavenly or Northstar easier to get to?
Northstar is the easier trip — about 0.67h from RNO (Reno), versus 1h from RNO for Heavenly.
Which has the more accurate snow forecast, Heavenly or Northstar?
StormDrop shows the raw NWS forecast for both Heavenly and Northstar and does not grade it. Six winters of NWS-against-SNOTEL checking found no per-mountain bias we can honestly correct (it turns on an unresolved snow-measurement question), so we show the number NWS publishes and tell you that is what it is.
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