Snow Surprise at Northstar California
Advanced · 521 m long with 146 m of vertical, averaging 16° and 23° at its steepest, facing N.
23°steepest 50 m
16°average pitch
521 mlength
146 mvertical
2259 mtop elevation
Nfaces
Snow and sun
Surprise is poleward-facing: least winter sun, holds cold powder longest, can stay firm or icy.
How to get to Surprise
Lifts that reach the top: Vista Express (skiing intermediate terrain to get there); Rendezvous (skiing intermediate terrain to get there); Comstock Express (skiing intermediate terrain to get there); Backside Express (skiing intermediate terrain to get there).
From the base area (about 12 minutes, advanced skiing needed):
- Ride Big Springs Express Gondola
- Ski unnamed trail
- Ride Vista Express
- Ski unnamed trail
- Ski Logger's Loop (intermediate)
- Ski Woodchuck (intermediate)
- Ski Surprise (advanced)
Where it ends
Joins Logger's Loop. Nearest lifts from the bottom: Vista Express (1 min), Arrow Express (1 min), Tahoe Zephyr Express (1 min).
See Surprise on the 3D mapAll runs at Northstar CaliforniaMeasured from OpenStreetMap geometry and elevation via OpenSkiMap (ODbL). Times are rough. Grades, grooming and openings change day to day — check the resort's own reports.