Kirkwood Ski Resort Guide — Simon Jack Burgess

Kirkwood California is probably the best ski resort you have never heard of. A real locals mountain tucked away from the crowds of South Lake Tahoe, Kirkwood is one for your ski and snowboard bucket list. With an incredible snow record and some impressively challenging terrain Kirkwood excels in pretty much every area.

Since joining the Epic pass revolution Kirkwood is growing in popularity and there are a number of locals who don’t like that. The resort is changing both in regards to facilities and popularity and before long I am sure that Kirkwood will cement it’s place as a must visit US ski resort. There is a purpose built village at the base of Kirkwood with lodging, restaurants, and bars. There are a number of newer accommodations being developed within a short walk of the lifts.

Despite all the developments, Kirkwood remains laid back. The lifts are slow but that’s ok because your legs will need the time to recover. I was drawn to Kirkwood to snowboard on ‘The Wall’ a popular run accessed by the famous number 10 chair. But in reality I enjoyed riding around the whole resort. From outstanding tree runs, perfect pistes, and big bumps Kirkwood is an all-rounder.

KIRKWOOD FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Turning into Kirkwood the goosebumps had already started. Snow was falling and there were only a few cars in the car park. Walking through the village there was a calm to the place. No one was rushing, despite the fact that it was a powder day and the lifts were about to start turning. I guess the locals knew there was enough to go around.

KIRKWOOD SKI AREA

Kirkwood Ski Resort is blessed with some pretty awesome terrain. 80+ trails offer plenty of variety and ensure there is always something new to ride. The terrain is heavily biased in favour of expert skiers or snowboarders however there is a designated beginners area and some fun intermediate terrain. Kirkwood has everything an expert skier or snowboarder would want with wide bowls and fantastic tree skiing. There are a number of natural terrain features such as cornices and couloirs to keep things interesting.

The frustrating thing about Kirkwood ski resort is the lift system. There are 13 lifts but only a few actually access the highest terrain on the mountain. Chair 4, 6 and 10 alongside the Vista T-Bar offer the best access to advanced terrain. The layout of Kirkwood and its lift system can mean that long traverses are needed to get to different parts of the resort.

I personally had a lot of fun from Number 4 Chair. The hike from the top of Sunrise to Cold Shoulder and Larry’s Lip being particularly fun. The Vista T-Bar also accesses some short but challenging double black diamond’s.

It is hard to talk about the Kirkwood ski area without mentioning Number 10 chair and The Wall. The Wall is a pretty imposing double black diamond that overlooks the Kirkwood mountain village. The access chairlift for the wall has a famous skull and crossbones warning sign notifying you that it is expert only. The Wall is good fun after heavy snowfall and if you like big bumps.

Another favourite was the traverse into Sentinel Bowl deem Number 6 Chair. Although the traverse itself was fairly dull, the terrain in Sentinel Bowl is well worth it. There were plenty of interesting tree runs to explore in tis area.

KIRKWOOD SKI AREA BY ABILITY

BEGINNERS TERRAIN KIRKWOOD

Honestly, I would not recommend Kirkwood as a beginners ski resort. There is only a small amount of Green terrain which will see you repeating runs until they become tedious. The beginners area, Timber Creek, is away from the main runs, so at least that gives beginners a quiet place to learn.

INTERMEDIATE TERRAIN KIRKWOOD

Similar to beginners there isn’t much in the way of intermediate terrain at Kirkwood. What there is though is really fun. Runs like Elevator Shaft and Devil’s Draw give you the opportunity to nip in and out of the trees whereas pistes like Lower Zachery are wide and well groomed. Kirkwood could be a great resort for intermediates to take their first turns in the trees.

ADVANCED TERRAIN KIRKWOOD

This is where Kirkwood comes into its own. There is such a great variety of advanced terrain at Kirkwood that you can always find a challenge. The tree skiing is excellent and the bowls offer opportunities to drop some nice ledges or navigate through rocky outcrops.

LIFTS AT KIRKWOOD

Kirkwood’s lift system is far from a reason to visit. Behind the times in many ways the lift system is probably one of the things that keeps Kirkwood quiet. The interesting terrain at Kirkwood is accessed via fairly slow fixed grip chairs that ensure you get a rest between runs. Honestly I am torn. Quicker lifts and Kirkwood probably gets buried in crowds and loses its charm… small price to pay?

KIRKWOOD SNOW RECORD

Kirkwood is blessed when it comes to annual snowfall with it regularly receiving over 15m throughout the season. The quality of the snow is pretty decent as well especially when compared to other Californian ski resorts that have lower base and summit elevations. Kirkwood ski resort doesn’t really do snow-making… well why would it need to?

KIRKWOOD PISTE MAP

SEASON DATES

The ski season at Kirkwood runs from late November until the third week of April with snow permitting. In California you can ski at Squaw or Mammoth for longer… but then is it as good?

KIRKWOOD LIFT TICKETS

Buying a day pass for Kirkwood is $109 which isn’t cheap. If you are planning a multi-day trip or plan to ski at other resorts during the season then it is worth considering the Epic Pass or one of the local Epic Value passes. An Epic Pass costs $979 at full value although discounts are normally available if purchased early. This means just 9 days of use to break even when compared to equivalent day passes.

KIRKWOOD VIDEOS

TRAVEL TO KIRKWOOD

WHERE IS KIRKWOOD?

Kirkwood Mountain Resort is a 45 minute drive from South Lake Tahoe if you are already in the area or a 3 hr drive from San Francisco. Because of the extreme amounts of snow that Kirkwood receives this can affect the conditions on the road. You will find the latest road information here but it is important to be prepared for winter driving conditions.

Beware GPS

During the winter certain roads in California close due to the winter conditions. Mormon Emigrant Trail may show as your fastest route however this road is not accessible during winter.

HOW TO GET TO KIRKWOOD

INTERNATIONAL

If arriving internationally you will be best served to fly into San Francisco International Airport. From San Francisco, you can continue your journey by either taking an internal flight to Reno or take the 3-hour drive to South Lake Tahoe straight from San Francisco. It is also possible to fly into Sacramento but you will have to connect via another US airport.

DOMESTIC

An internal flight to Reno will bring you to your closest access point to the South Lake Tahoe Ski Resorts, but realistically you will still require car hire to get you the 1.5hr from Reno to Kirkwood ski area.

KIRKWOOD ACCOMMODATION

Kirkwood has its own village at the base. At Kirkwood you will find all sorts of hotels, condos and cabins. Consider using the link to look for your Kirkwood Accommodation.

KIRKWOOD PROS

Kirkwood ski resort has a really nice variety of terrain with challenging runs for experts as well as mellow beginners pistes
The Kirkwood snow record is insane! Kirkwood regularly receives more snow than the majority of ski resorts in the world
Kirkwood is generally quieter then other Tahoe ski areas. This shows itself in a really laid back vibe.
Kirkwood has a purpose built village that allows you to stay close to the slopes.
Free parking available in certain Kirkwood car parks
KIRKWOOD CONS
Lifts at Kirkwood can run slow which can put off many visitors
Kirkwood has a quiet village with few Apres opportunities.

KIRKWOOD GALLERY

KIRKWOOD FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

IS KIRKWOOD PART OF LAKE TAHOE

Kirkwood Mountain Resort is located in South Lake Tahoe, California. Kirkwood is around 45 minutes drive from the Lake Tahoe itself.

IS KIRKWOOD GOOD FOR BEGINNERS?

If you are a never ever taking your first turns for a day or two… yes, there is a designated beginners area at Kirkwood Mountain Resort. However the lack of beginner terrain in general means that Kirkwood is not the best option for beginner skiers or snowboarders

IS KIRKWOOD A DIFFICULT MOUNTAIN?

Kirkwood ski resort has some pretty gnarly terrain. There is a great variety to the advanced terrain at Kirkwood, meaning you don’t need to be doing anything crazy to find a challenge. However if you want to drop-in of a cornice or to navigate a narrow couloirs you can. The majority of terrain at Kirkwood is steep and mostly ungroomed, this can add to the intensity of the terrain.

DOES KIRKWOOD MAKE SNOW?

Kirkwood doesn’t need to make snow as it gets such a good natural snow fall. Kirkwood has a long season due to its snow record, but some snowmaking is in place to ensure that the beginning and end of the season conditions remain epic.

DOES KIRKWOOD HAVE TUBING?

There isn’t much in the way of off-snow activities at Kirkwood however the tubing hill is perfect for families looking for a break from skiing and snowboarding. Bonus about tubing at Kirkwood is there is a rope tow to help you get back to the top.

IS KIRKWOOD GOOD?

Crazy question. Kirkwood is genuinely one of the best ski resorts I have visited. LOVE IT!

HOW LONG IS THE KIRKWOOD SKI SEASON?

Kirkwood regularly opens for winter operations in November and closes in April!

GET IN TOUCH

Thanks for reading this Kirkwood ski resort guide and I hope it has answered many of your questions. I’ve given my opinion but I’d love to hear from you in the comments or via the socials. Have you been to Kirkwood ski resort? What were your opinions? Are there better ski resorts in Lake Tahoe?

KIRKWOOD SKI RESORT INFO
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Aug 15 Kirkwood Ski Resort Guide