Resort Overview
Ask anyone who has been to Kirkwood, and they will tell you that this place is all about terrain and powder. There aren’t 10 high speed lifts or many lodges throughout the mountain, just lots and lots of snow, great tree runs, steeps and powder stashes to be discovered. No ski area in Lake Tahoe matches the 600 inches of snowfall per year at Kirkwood, which has its prime location and elevation to thank for that. It also boasts the highest starting point of any Lake Tahoe resort (7,800 ft). If you like great terrain and great snow (who doesn’t?), Kirkwood is definitely worth checking out.
Trail Details
Beginner Runs: 15%
Intermediate Runs: 50%
Advanced Runs: 20%
Expert Runs: 15%
Longest Run: 2.5 miles
Terrain Details
Elevation
Highest Point: 9,800 ft
Vertical Drop: 2,000 ft
Lowest Point: 7,800 ft
Skiable Terrain: 2,300 acres
Backcountry/Off-Piste: Yes. CAT tours are also available.
Tree Runs: Yes
Lift Info
Total Number of Lifts: 12
Gondolas & Trams: 0
High Speed Sixes: 0
High Speed Quads: 2
Quad Chairs: 1
Triple Chairs: 6
Double Chairs: 1
Surface Lifts: 2
Lift Hours of Operation
Monday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Tuesday:09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Wednesday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Thursday: 09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Friday:09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Saturday:09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Sunday:09:00 AM – 04:00 PM
Night Skiing: No
Lift Tickets
Adult Single Day: $65+
Junior Single Day: $56+
Child Single Day: $14+
Snowfall
Average Annual Snowfall: 600 inches
Snow Making Capability: 200 acres
Terrain Park
Halfpipe: Yes – 1
Terrain Park: Yes – 3
Notes: Accessible from chairs 5, 6 and 7, Kirkwood’s terrain parks offer a range of beginner to advanced features.
Ski/Snowboard School
Kirkwood offers a full range of school options including children, beginner, intermediate, advanced, women’s specific and freestyle specific.
Important Dates
Ski Season Dates: Typically November to April
On and Off-Mountain Services
On-mountain services include a base lodge with food, ski rental and repair and more. A clinic is located within Kirkwood village.
Off-mountain services include a hospital 30 miles a way, along with all the amenities of a medium sized city to be found in nearby South Lake Tahoe.
Lodging Info
Within walking distance to the lifts are located more than 100 condos that can be rented out nightly. Nearby South Lake Tahoe also has 20,000 rooms available.
Transportation Info
Driving Directions:
Coming from Reno, take I-395 South which goes through Carson City. Then take Highway 88 West all
the way to Kirkwood. Turn left onto Kirkwood Meadows Drive. Total travel time 1.5 hours.
Coming in from San Francisco take I-580 East to I-205. Then take I-5 North to Route 4 East. Then take
Route 99 to Route 88 East. Total travel time 3.25 hours.
Flying:
The closest large airport is Reno International. Shuttles are available to South Lake Tahoe with a transfer
time of around 1 hr. Shuttles are also available from South Lake Tahoe to Kirkwood in the early
mornings.
A small airport is also located in South Lake Tahoe.
Bus/Coach:
Busses are available from Reno to South Lake Tahoe with travel time of about 1.5 hours. Busses are
available from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe with a travel time of about 6 hours. Snow busses are
also available to take you from bay area cities directly to and from Sierra-at-Tahoe for day trips.
Other Activities
Heliskiing: Not Available
Snowmobiles: Not Available. CAT tours are available.
Tubing: Yes
Snowboarding Access
Snowboarding is allowed on all lifts.
History
In the early pioneer days, Zac Kirkwood’s dairy was part of the Carson Emigrant Trail. It served as a trading post during those years (around 1864). Eventually, the land came to be used as a summer resort, with the title “Old Time Resort.” In 1966, the family of Zac Kirkwood sold the property to Kirkwood Meadows, Inc. and soon after in 1972 Kirkwood Ski Resort opened.
Summer Activities
Kirkwood features a mountain bike park accessible on the lifts throughout the summer.
Contact Info
Kirkwood
PO Box 1
Kirkwood, CA 95646
Phone: (209) 258-6000
Other Information
Snowboard Leashes Required: Yes
Common misspellings: Kiirkwood, Kirckwood, Kirkwood, Kirkwoood, Kirrkwood, Krkwood, Kurkwood