kirkwood mountain resort

Berry0904

Sure, Heavenly is fun, but the big mountain experience, with all the Vail siganture service is available to the Tahoe visitor. A beautiful short drive takes you to Kirkwood, were the ski experience is superior. WOW! Got to see the Cirqe cliff face (no you can't ski that part).

dand572

Staying in south Lake Tahoe this was about a 45 minute drive and definitely worth the drive as it is a different atmosphere than Heavenly completely. The staff was extremely friendly & helpful. The mountain was wide open and the signage was great. The food and drinks at the main lodge were fantastic and not the standard lodge food you would expect. Great experience overall.

kateapple

I love the authenticity of Kirkwood. The variety of the runs, the no-frills nature of the resort. We had some of the best customer service here and some of the worst. I braced myself every time I talked to a staff member, because I didn't know if they were going to be rude or great. If they could all just be average, I would be happier.

KyleL973

I was really excited about the new snow they got yesterday. However, 3" were not enough and there were bare spots everywhere on-piste. The wall and other bowls were unpleasant - a thin layer of soft snow on an icy hard-packed surface. By early afternoon my skis were all scratched up, everything was slushy and most people just left the mountain. Real shame for a good resort.

jpsfl1

We were staying at Heavenly for the holidays. It was horrible- huge lines, overly expensive, lousy conditions. We met a local at dinner who suggested we try Kirkwood before writing off Lake Tahoe for future trips. It saved our vacation.While a bit out of the way, and not the biggest resort (2700 acres), Kirkwood had a nice variety of terrain, much more reasonable lift lines, and we could actually get good in under an hour on the mountain, unlike Heavenly. Best of all, no hour long wait to get off the mountain like the Gondola at Heavenly. Kirkwood is a nice little resort, and should we come back this way we would consider this for a quick trip. Not sure it could support a full week trip- there would be a lot of repeat runs, and we aren't at the level where we can hit the Wall and the chutes. It is, however, a nice resort and well run. Combined with Northstar or Squaw, a longer trip would be possible (though it would require a lot of driving, and many Colorado resorts have much more acreage).

Vincent_Olenik

I can't stress this enough, this place is not for the beginner or the weekend warrior who kind of ski's/snowboards recreationally.This place is truly for the advanced skier/snowboarder. It's all about the adrenaline rush, and attempting to stay safe while having the time of your life. I highly recommend wearing a helmet and BMX body armor incase your not quite as good as you thought you were.It's far enough away from Tahoe that getting there can be quite the challenge. You had better have 4wd, and studded snows or chains for those storm days because you will certainly need it getting in/out.If your looking for the foo foo shopping mall, and fancy eating places, and just drive straight to North Star. They will be happy to accommodate you. This place is not that type of place.Above all else, keep in mind that high winds keep helicopters away. So if you think there is a good chance you can't handle that path, don't go there. Lots of people get seriously injured here, so keep it real in terms of what you can handle.

AbhijeetAphale

We visited Kirkwood on 25th Dec, 2014 and took beginner lessons (Adult as well as child). This was a memorable experience and gave us a great deal of confidence in pursuing the sport of skiing further.Pros:1. Ample parking2. Friendly customer service and rental service staff3. Great quality rental equipment, knowledgeable staff4. Excellent instructors, very patient, efficient and able to handle large groups (7-9 in our case).5. Great teamwork between team members.6. Absolutely fantastic powder. Love it. Love it. Love it.7. Great runs for beginners, confidence infusing and not discouraging.Cons:1. The food in the restaurant was over by 4:00. So, by the time lessons were over, the food was over as well. The staff at the food counter was indifferent.My son, who is 8, after skiing at another resort in Tahoe area, commented that the snow in Kirkwood resort was much better. Comment coming from a 8 year old who has just taken one lesson at a beginner grade, talks volumes about Kirkwood snow conditions and Kirkwood experience.Its worth visiting despite of road conditions (snow chains required) and little premium pricing. We will definitely visit again.

sharp66

no complaints if you go to ski it is a fantastic ski and snowboard location the staff are friendly and helpful only down fall if you have a none skier with you there is nothing for them to do no snow tubing or sledging

SeeTheW0rld62

We've been skiing at Kirkwood for over 20 years. It's our favorite ski resort. It's expanded a lot over the years with more great skiing. Our kids started skiing there when they were 3 and 5 years old and we've had many fun days skiing in all conditions. There's terrain for all skill levels, from beginners to double black runs. They also tend to get more snow than many of the other Tahoe resorts.

mini

Kirkwood Mountain has some of the best terrain in the Lake Tahoe Region. Kirkwood is at 7800 feet. It has some of the best snow in the area. It is plentiful, lighter, and drier than other resorts in the area.We like the facilities for skiing and snowboarding. it is situated about 45 minute drive from South Lake Tahoe area. The chair lift lines are usually a bit shorter than at other ski resorts.In addition, one can get a seasonal pass. There is lodging a few minutes walk away from the ski area. There is also excellent cross country skiing in the area.

633venitab

There were beautiful mountain trails and cozy cabins. The bugs were relentless. We had problems with ground bees and some kind of small, flying, biting bug.

Sibanac1

I went to Kirkwood back in the early 2000s while staying at Heavenly, not far of a drive. I met up with some locals and had a blast skiing with them around the mountain. Lots of neat features on the mountain. Cave Rock, stump jumping under the lifts, what a treat!

227jeanr

The resort was very nice! We stayed in a studio apartment. The view was so good. We looked out at the lift number 10. I cannot remember the name of the lift.

Puako

A hidden gem in Tahoe, uncrowded, really good snow. Friendly service, small resort feel. Only complaint is the lack of apres-ski scene.

StellaPL

Kirkwood was a great place to ski for the whole family. During April, the resort was not crowded and the snow was still plentiful. The staff at the resort was friendly, helpful and always courteous. Renting skis was easy and the staff was quick. If you are renting for two days you can leave your skis, boots etc in the valet for a quick pick up the next day. This was our first time at Kirkwood and I will definitely be back next season. It is not overcrowded like other resorts and you feel more comfortable on the sloops. Thumbs up for Kirkwood.