By Kathryn Reed

TRUCKEE — Staring at a map that looks more vast than the layout of the downhill resort, I feel overwhelmed. I just want a little snowshoe.

No worries.

Short or long, green-blue-black — that’s all possible at Northstar-at-Tahoe.

Jann Reed and Sue Wood at Northstar. Photos/Kathryn Reed

It was easy to accommodate the three of us. My sister, Jann, doesn’t downhill because of bad knees. Sue and I don’t downhill on the Sunday of a long holiday weekend.

With my pass I was able to skip paying the $25 fee to access the maze of trails. The resort grooms 40 kilometers for cross country tracks.

We stayed on a snowshoe-only route. However, the Sawmill Flats trail we zigged along did cross a downhill run.

Meandering through thick conifers covered in lichen had the three of us forgetting we were at a major Lake Tahoe ski resort on Presidents’ Weekend. Virgin snow covered the land beyond the single-track trail we followed.

Mounds of snow along the trail.

Maps along the way are easy to read as is the paper one we each have.

It would be possible to be out in the woods for days, but we figured a couple hours would suffice before heading to lunch at the Ritz-Carlton.

Northstar’s trails are accessed via the Big Springs Express Gondola. A short snowshoe from this mid-mountain drop-off point gets you to the snowshoe-cross country center. There, rentals and lessons can be purchased.

Chairs and a fire pit beckon weary athletes. A view of the downhill area seems like a different world from the peaceful, serene wilderness we just came from.

Easy to know where to go.

A moonlight snowshoe tour is coming up Feb. 25-26, as well as March 26-27. Telemark clinics are slated for March 7 and April 4.

For more information about Northstar’s snowshoe-cross country center, click here.