Kirkwood is a resort with an average of high snowfalls and a selection of advanced skiing terrain. The resort receives seasonal snowfall of 354in (900cm)[1], ranking behind only Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in the Sierra Nevada in terms of snow accumulation.[2] Two new surface tows were introduced at Kirkwood during the 2008–2009 season to provide skiers and snowboarders with greater access to terrain along Vista Ridge and Fawn Ridge.
Kirkwood hosted a leg of the North American Freeskiing Championships in 2009 and 2010. This is an event that showcases top freeskiers competing in challenging terrain.[3]
In addition to Alpine skiing, there is a Cross Country Center at the base of the mountain with cross country and snowshoe access to 15 km of trails in the meadow, as well as additional trails in Caples Creek and Schneider[4].
The Mountain
Kirkwood resort includes 2,300 acres of terrain and over 2,000 feet of vertical. It is distinguished by ample off piste skiing opportunities and runs biased towards more intermediate and advanced skiers, with only 12% beginner terrain. The resort comprises 5 peaks: Covered Wagon Peak (9,545 ft), Thimble Peak (9,805 ft), The Sisters Peak (9,400 ft), Glove Rock (9,360 ft) and Martin Point (9,249 ft)[5].
The main lodge is Mountain Village, with multiple restaurants, accommodations and retail. Lift 6 (Cornice Express) is a high speed detachable lift serving advanced terrain, as well as allowing skiers to traverse to the Timber Creek area through Sentinel Bowl. Lift 10 (The Wall) serves advanced terrain, with several "off-map" chutes accessible from the ridge skiers left of the lift, including Schaffer's, Saddle and Cliff chutes. There are also lifts serving intermediate and beginner's terrain. The backside of the mountain, accessible via Caples Crest features a high-speed detachable lift, Sunrise Express, as well as Sunrise Grill, a restaurant with limited offerings and outdoor seating.
Timber Creek is the other main lodge on the mountain, with the high speed Timber Creek Express chair serving intermediate terrain as well as allowing skiers to reach Mountain Village. The Ski and Ride School is based out of Timber Creek, as well as a rental facility and a bar and restaurant.
History
Kirkwood opened in 1972 after year-round Caltrans snow plowing service began operations for Highway 88 (CA 88) in 1971.[6] This all-weather highway connects the resort to the populated western regions of California. Kirkwood Mountain Resort is one of the more recent ski resorts to open in the Lake Tahoe region. For most of its history, Kirkwood was off-grid, operating on diesel-powered generators. On New Year's Day, 2010, the generators caught fire[7], validating a planned move towards linking the resort to the grid. In 2014, the resort energized a 10 megawatt, 28 mile electrical transmission line, resulting in a 2,700 lb NOx emissions reduction[8].
↑Tony Crocker "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 12, 2005. Retrieved November 12, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
12% beginner 
30% intermediate 
58% advanced/expert
