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Northern Lights

Blue Northstar, CA

Steepest pitch21°
Vertical749 ft
Length3,405 ft
Average pitch13°
FacesE
Top7,896 ft

Northern Lights drops 749 vertical feet over 3,405 feet of skiing, with a steepest pitch of 21° about 2,580 feet below the top. That's steeper than 50% of the 5,615 blue runs we've measured in North America, and the 51st steepest of 90 named runs at Northstar. It faces east.

How well Northern Lights holds snow

Snow preservationBelow average

Facing east at an average 13°, Northern Lights gets about 96% of the winter sun that flat ground at Northstar does, December through March. That's sunnier than 68% of the runs we've measured, and the 8th sunniest named run at Northstar. Its top sits at 7,900 feet.

With little slope to hide behind, it takes nearly the full winter sun of open ground: powder settles and turns heavy sooner after a storm, and spring snow softens early. Shading from ridges and trees isn't counted yet.

Northern Lights profile

under 25°25–35°35–45°45°+ Hover to follow the line on the map.

Where it is on the mountain

Runs like Northern Lights elsewhere

Nearby at Northstar

Measured by ZRankings from 1-meter USGS lidar. Steepest pitch is the steepest stretch of about 50 vertical feet along the skiable line. Run lines come from OpenStreetMap and can sit a little off the skied path.