Tag: Northstar

“Waited for about an hour in freezing temperatures”

Waited for about an hour in freezing temperatures to get picked up by the bus to go to the parking lot. 7-8 buses running and kept picking up small groups of people while our bus stop had 70+ people waiting and freezing. Employees were rude and did nothing to aid us (young children and even older people were waiting for so long freezing)

addison (via Google reviews)

Ticketing/refund scam

Heard many good things about the resort but disappointed at the corporate’s ticketing/refund policy. Half-day tickets are not offered, and refunds are only available if within the 1st hour once on the lifts.

We hit a pretty strong winter storm and were not being informed enough by the resort to make a decision because the resort remains open. After paying for very EXPENSIVE ticket during Christmas, we were informed by staff that the mountain is closed for the day due to safety reason and extreme weather, after only less than 2 hours of total time spent at the resort. When asking about partial refund or credit, nothing was offered and staff told us that “this situation happens frequently at the resort”, which is nonsense because they would have not opened for the day given the early signs of weather condition and if they really care about customer safety.

We spent 10 hours driving to the resort, not to mention the lodging cost and the high ticket price. “Do it at your own risk” shouldn’t be the excuse for providing bad customer experience, especially not for a resort like Northstar.

Overall very disappointed at our first time experience, and it feels like they care more about making money than providing customers with good experience.

Miranda Tao (via Google reviews)

“Horrible parking situation”

Horrible parking situation, took us HOURS just to leave. It seemed like the shuttles stopped running! The lines on the slopes were ridiculous. Zephyr in particular didn’t even seem to move. For how much they charge ($180 day pass), they should invest more in their logistical operations. Slopes are decent, but much better options in the Tahoe area. Not coming back anytime soon!

Carter Grimes (via Google reviews)

“The resort has gone downhill”

We have been coming to north Star for many years and have been season pass holders for years as well. The resort has gone downhill over the past 3 years and they no longer appropriately value their customers. Try calling customer service and stay on hold for 1 hour with no option to mute the voice message that sounds every 30 seconds. Simple consideration for their customers that hold for long wait times. They pack the mountain, charge full price, and don’t open up the backside. We don’t mind paying the high prices if the experience that they provide matches the prices. Will be getting passes to Palisades (formerly Squaw Valley) next year.

Justin Gill (via Google review)

NorthStar village: No Masks, No Social Distancing, COVID is welcome. January 2022

Great crowd on New Year 2022 eve, but not safe whatsoever

NorthStar village 2022: Great new Year party. But no masks, no social distancing whatsoever. How many new COVID patients are among them?

The ultimate greed of Vail and Northstar will help these people to spread COVID: “sell tickets, sell more tickets! Who cares if they got infected and sick tomorrow. No refunds! We need your money, more money!“

From the editor: FYI COVID-19.CA.gov and CDC California.

“Vail is the greedy empire”

Vail is the greedy empire.  With the constant profits that they post there is zero exceptions for anyone.  Their business practices is straight up shady.  You see news of parking fees posted after most people purchased their 2019/20 season passes, the guy with terminal cancer can’t get a refund exception and many other similar stories.  My daughter broken her arm on her 1st day 1st run.  I went to the season pass members service asking if an exception can be made for a credit for next year understanding I didn’t buy insurance.  This will also ensure my family continue to be season pass holders next year.  It’s a straight up “no, management won’t allow it. “

The crowds are bad, wait times listed x 2 is what you really should expect the real wait time for.  Single riders are always filling in the last spot so if you are beginner still trying get off the lift standing you are out of luck.  Going down greens is like a ninja obstacle course dodging people left and right.  We waited 30 min for lifts in 3 hours we did 2 runs during holidays.

The 1 star is purely for management and their corporate policies and nothing to do with the staff there.  The staff that took care of my daughter were all great.  It wasn’t hard to wave down a ski patrol to get help.  5 were on scene to help with the situation so I am very grateful for the staff.

5 stars for the beautiful resort and the staff

1 star for the evil empire corporate practices (parking $, insurance cost, no refund policy, cs practices, and crowds)

Unless you can go regularly non holiday and weekends, be prepared to deal with the insane wait times.

Cynthia S. (via Yelp)

From the editor: it is evident to us, that their greed prevents them from ruining vacation and stealing money from an essential worker, a doctor who is fighting COVID in the hospital, saves peoples lives.

“What a massive waste of time”

It’s 12:20pm and we’ve been in so many lines that we haven’t been on a single run yet. What a massive waste of time.

Oh, and their lift tickets are more expensive than Squaw’s. Why?

Quit peddling waffles and focus your investments on building new lifts and logistical infrastructure.

This place just isn’t what it used to be in the 90s

Kevin H. (via Yelp)

NorthStarSucks finally gets some attention from Tahoe/Northstar locals. Good

NorthStarSucks and VaileEpicFail Traffic sources

Hopefully by reading the blog they will start working on improving their resorts, starting with NorthStar California.

We want to enjoy our vacations, not visiting a prison camp-like facility.

Northstar is not family friendly

My family are season passholders while I’m a non skier.  When they ski I normally sit in the lodge. Not at Northstar.  They are now charging $40 for me to get on a gondola and ride to the lodge (because I get a ride) or the other option is taking a gondola up to the Ritz where I can’t stay because I don’t have a room.  There is no other ski resort that charges for a non skier to sit in the lodge.  They have lost our families business as we will not be returning to ski or do anything else at Northstar!

Mandi M. (via Yelp)