Northstar-at-Tahoe is located six miles north of Lake Tahoe. From the summit of Mt. Pluto, the resort's highest peak, the lake views are astounding. This ski village is exactly that, a ski village. The buildings are reminiscent of Swiss chalets but this isn’t a rustic little village. Everything looks new and is wonderfully clean.

My favorite area is the ice skating rink. It is beautifully surrounded by fire pits, restaurants, boutiques and s’mores kiosks. For the family, I recommend snow tubing. It is located mid-mountain, just above the gondola.

The real deal at Northstar is the Adventure Parks, which are all over mountain. Some are natural, others man-made, and there's even big screen televisions. Look for the sawed-off signs and go blasting away. Loaded with a halfpipe and a superpipe, freestyle terrain and first-rate adventure parks – Northstar rocks over most resorts at Lake Tahoe. The quickest way to hit the parks is ride up Vista Express - a quad express chair. With the addition of four new runs this season – the total is up to 83 spectacular runs.

Currently under construction are the Ritz-Carlton Highlands Resort Hotel, Trailside Town homes, the Highlands Fire Station (the second fire station at Northstar) and the Village Walk. The Village Walk project consists of 101 townhomes and condos. The Ritz-Carlton will be open in 2009.

On the hill:

• The skiing:
The best powder is located on Backside, off of Mt. Pluto. Complete with snowmaking equipment, this section of the hill has the best snow. Advanced skiers looking for steep inclines and trees should head to Look Out Mountain. This mountain is almost exclusively black diamonds and is very fast. Too fast for me honestly but I have many friends who love a challenge and they eat up this mountain.

In this region of Tahoe, big snowfalls every year are the norm. Add in updated snow making machines and the average snowpack is more than 25 feet deep. For a good day of skiing, turn right off of Comstock Express and you have a choice of at least 17 different intermediate runs. Head straight down from Comstock and there are another five more. Turn left off of Comstock Express and ride the East Ridge to the Adventure Parks and along the way you can hit Crosscut, Tonni’s or The Chute for excellent bump skiing.

• The Lift Time:
Tahoe Zephyr Express is the main, high-speed, six-person lift to the Northwest Territory. This area of the mountain provides great family skiing with lots of trails to choose from. Arrow Express to Comstock Express will get you to the summit of Mt. Pluto. The elevation at the top is 8,610 feet; this provides a vertical drop of almost 2,300 feet. Several high-speed chairs zoom you up the hills quickly and quietly. The lines move swiftly thanks to the express chairs.

• Gotta try runs:
Intermediate: The Northwest Territory off West Ridge and down Lookout Road offers nine blue and one black run. For the advanced run, stay off to the left on the way to Lookout Mountain via Lookout Link. The backside of Mt. Pluto, named Backside, has eight one-mile runs of black diamonds. Another is nearly three miles. The terrain is challenging and requires quick reflexes.

Advanced/Expert: Take Backdoor to Lookout Mountain to get steep with lots of trees. The skiing is fast and awesome. Here the skill level is expert and I do not recommend inexperienced skiers try it. Skiers pick up a lot of speed and are forced to confront some seriously wicked moguls.

• Runs to steer clear of:
Saw Tooth Ridge is for the most advanced skiers only. Skiers must bring their A game or get lost in the woods. This area is only open as conditions permit. When open, Saw Tooth can be the most exciting skiing at Tahoe. Laced with trees and sharp turns, skiers must contend with quick decisions and soft snow. If you have what it takes to ski the toughest runs then this is for you.

Off the hill:

• The food and drinks:
Did someone say Mexican? Chilly Peppers Cantina located upstairs in the lodge at Big Springs serves up delicious Mexican food and cantina drinks. At the Summit Deck Grille, my friends and I enjoy Coronas and southwestern quesadillas. There are three levels on the mountain where someone can have a drink or eat a meal: at the base and in the Village, mid-mountain, and at the summit. There is more variety at Northstar than any other resort at Tahoe. The patios at base/mid-mountain/summit are ideal for cocktails and spectacular views of the lake and the Martis Valley.

The Lodge at Big Springs is your standard ski resort lunchroom. For warming up and feeding your family this place is ideal. My kids like the pizza station and gyros while I am a fan of the outdoor barbecue.

This year, Mikuni Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar, Olivier Napa Valley and Tahoe Creamery all will open in the Village.

• The staff: The folks I’ve met love being at Northstar. Ask any of them and they’ll tell you there is no place they’d rather be than working at Northstar. There is a licensed daycare for 2-6 year olds. The facilities are nice and the kids have a great time playing with the other kids. Parents' bonus; kids don't need to be potty trained.

The ski school instructors are there to make your ski school experience the best it can be. The kids I’ve talked to overwhelmingly stated that the instructors are fun and caring. The adults who’ve tried ski school also learned a lot while having an enjoyable lesson.

• Retail shops: With boutiques and restaurants around the ice rink, this is one of my favorite places to not only ski, but to visit as well. The stores in the Village range from high-end men’s and women’s clothing, footwear and jewelry at True North and Gloss. To the hip and hella cool, Butterbox is where the beats are kickin’ from the DJ booth while you shop for the latest designs. If you left something at home, don’t worry – you can find everything from Oakleys to custom-fit boots.

• Rentals: The equipment rentals are from Dynastar and K2 and snowboards from Burton. The newly installed precision Snowell tuning machine regularly tunes the entire ski and snowboard fleet, ensuring your equipment is always in great condition. The Snowell machine is also available for personal equipment. Call 530-562-2248 for more information about rentals.

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