Mountain Review: Kirkwood, California

An in-depth video review of Kirkwood Mountain Resort, a ski area located about an hour south of Lake Tahoe in Kirkwood, CA.

Overall Mountain Score: 69/100 — #4 of 10 in Tahoe
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Snow: 8/10
Resiliency: 6/10
Size: 7/10
Terrain Diversity: 7/10
Challenge: 10/10
Lifts: 4/10
Crowd Flow: 8/10
Facilities: 4/10
Navigation: 5/10
Mountain Aesthetic: 10/10

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[kusotare]

There's a reason you have to hike to get to the Vista T-bar. It tends to discourage those that don't belong on the terrain it accesses.

[shokojimhollingsworth]

I learned to snowboard at Kirkwood. There are lots of wide blues and beginner terrain to start on- maybe not as much as heavenly or Northstar, but also a lot less time in line. However, as the video says, the amazing amount of cornice and wide variety of terrain is what Kirkwood is all about. Also, it's still got that local, family vibe even after being swallowed up by Vail. If this review video seems critical, I'm all for it. Stay away! Don't come! (More fresh turns for the rest of us.)

[snoopythegorila]

I really like these Peak Review series, good format and good info. Hard to find this type of content. Keep it up! 👍

[HabeasJ]

This is the mountain I learned to ski on. Never made it to the wall, but skied almost every other lift by 13 or so. Loved that place

[skipglobal]

Another PeakRankings review that really nails it. I really love this place. It has great vibe and a ton of soul. It's one of my favorite mountains. There is all sorts of fun and interesting stuff to ski for just about every ability level off of many of the chairs. Regarding those double blacks with steep chutes at the top: One can bypass the chutes by using a couple of the black runs and traversing just below them. The terrain from that point is single black diamond variety.

My only complaint: Chair 4 on the backside is a painfully long ride and should be replaced with a high speed quad. The amount of terrain that it accesses can easily handle the increased traffic.

[mikemorris]

Back in the seventies and eighties Kirkwood was my home away from home. It was always a race to get to chair 4. There was always a “No Flounders”
sign at the bottom of the lift.
We would hike out to the cornices and ski the narrow shutes.
It was rarely crowded.

[DavidDLee]

It's actually a good place to progress from beginner to intermediate and from intermediate to advanced.
It has a set of easy blues for beginners to try and some easier advanced for intermediates.
Green runs are short and are served with two different slow lifts, which are connected only through blue or a short (free) bus ride.
They don't consistently groom the same set of runs. On some days, a run could be groomed while not on others.

[SolaceEasy]

I taught skiing on Kirkwood for five seasons. It was the reason I moved to California. Best skiing on the South Shore for advanced and expert skiers. It can be skied on Windy days, but just not the top of the mountain.

[gsmeeuwsen]

Skied here many times...favorite ski area ever!

[bassman]

So Reuter is pronounced "Root-er" and named after the man who took a chance, left his job at Squaw Valley Resort, and moved his family from Squaw Valley to this desolate place called Kirkwood to help build a new Ski Resort. Dick Reuter cut the trees to create the early runs, and eventually became the Mountain Manager. Fun fact, not only is Reuter Bowl named after him, but so is chair 10, the Reut. Also back a Squaw Valley the Reuter's 6th off Solitude is also named after him back when he worked for them before Kirkwood.

So you may ask yourself, how does he know this? Well when I worked for Kirkwood my boss was Dick Reuter's daughter and she told me stories from when she was a kid living in Squaw Valley, and having to move to Kirkwood.

[MeAMuse]

Kirkwood is probably the most interesting place to ski if you are in Tahoe and on the Epic pass. Definitely agree about a lack of beginner and intermediate slopes.... but honestly.... there is enough to learn on. Lifts wise.... yes they have some slow but they are bound by how much parking they have. Even if they upgrade the lifts.... they can justify the cost with additional business.

[muffinman_snowboard]

Really good review. I really like Krikwood because of its versatility. There are so many fun spots to test your different riding skills

[a-line]

It does get really window up at the top of the wall, cornice express and sunrise lift, but on a powder day this resort reigns supreme

[Sammeep]

I first went here in 2018, and it's been my go-to ever since. This was the site of my first trip since I broke my leg, which I took last week.

[mushieslushie]

The Epic pass really does provide a nice variety of terrain and resort experiences in the Thoe area. Unfortunately Heavenly and Kirkwood are a longer drive compared to Northstar for those in the Sacramento area. I'm not a fan of the traverses that are required to access some of the areas on the front but when the conditions are nice the backside is amazing.

[rickcole-marin]

I learned to snowboard at Kirkwood when i was about 4 or 5 years old there are some great beginner runs such as chair 9 and 7. thats really where i perfected my technique. im almost eighteen now and over the span of almost 16 years of snowboarding here at kirkwood it still gives me a challenge and i still find new runs every time. to say that its not family friendly is pretty wack in my opinion everyone is super nice and i’ve only had a few incidents over 16 years where i’ve actually been pissed off. so yeah 6/10 for this video definitely spot on about all the advanced terrain and being close to nature you gotta love it💪

[rzbrlix]

Go to Heavenly or Northstar if you want the Disney experience.

[gurnoor]

Could you do a video on comparison of Terrain parks across resorts in Tahoe?

[billypoker]

great video. Love love love love love Kirkwood

[MrMountain]

Yeah Kirkwood is always super windy on top. Even when there is no wind at the base.