Kirkwood
Highest base elevation on this list and famous for deep, reliable snow — best suited to confident intermediate/advanced skiers.
Mountain stats
- Base elevation
- 7,800 ft
- Summit elevation
- 9,800 ft
- Vertical drop
- 2,000 ft
- Skiable acres
- 2,300
- Lifts
- 15
- Trails
- 86
- Night skiing
- No
- Pass affiliation
- Epic
- Day ticket (descriptive, not a quote)
- dynamic Epic resort; ~$110-200 window rate
Beginner-friendliness (heuristic)
Better once you're confidentOur own 1–5 read of the terrain, not an official rating.
Terrain mix
- Beginner 12%
- Intermediate 30%
- Advanced 58%
Advanced includes expert terrain. Vendor figures; may not total 100%.
Ready to ski Kirkwood?
Build a full trip plan with weather, driving directions, road conditions, and where to stay.
Plan a trip hereOfficial links
Parking
Reservation requiredReservations required for all lots on weekends & peak periods ($20; free with 4+ occupants, or after 11:30am). A few lots stay free-reserved.
Reserve parking at Kirkwood(opens in a new tab)Reservation/info link — not live availability. Policies, prices, and dates change each season; confirm on the official page before you drive.
Roads & conditions
Always check road status before you drive — chain controls can close passes with little warning.
Caltrans QuickMap ↗(opens in a new tab)Weather at Kirkwood
Base 7,800 ft · Summit 9,800 ft · NWS grid point elevation: 8,268 ft
NWS point forecast for this resort's coordinates — a heuristic. Always confirm on the official mountain report.
- Tonight47°F · Mostly ClearWind 5 mph
- Tuesday70°F · SunnyWind 3 to 7 mph
- Tuesday Night47°F · Mostly ClearWind 6 mph
- Wednesday71°F · SunnyWind 7 mph
- Wednesday Night47°F · ClearWind 3 to 7 mph
- Thursday73°F · SunnyWind 3 to 7 mph
- Thursday Night49°F · ClearWind 6 mph
- Friday74°F · SunnyWind 5 to 8 mph
Gear for your day at Kirkwood
The essentials worth having before you hit the mountain.
Affiliate disclosure: some links here are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Insulated Ski Jacket
Quiksilver Highline Pro GORE-TEX Jacket
Top of Travis Rice's signature Quiksilver line — the shell he rides in the backcountry.
Insulated Ski Jacket
Burton [ak] Cyclic GORE-TEX Jacket
Burton's pro-built [ak] line — the brand Chloe Kim and Zeb Powell ride for.
Insulated Ski Jacket
Jones Shralpinist 3L Jacket
From backcountry legend Jeremy Jones' own brand — storm gear built for big lines.
Waterproof Ski Gloves
Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Glove
Flagship glove from Dakine — Kai Jones' gear sponsor.
Waterproof Ski Gloves
Hestra Army Leather Heli Glove
The big-mountain standard — on more pro freeride hands than any other glove.
Waterproof Ski Gloves
Crab Grab Cinch Mitt
Zeb Powell's glove sponsor — the most fun mitts on the hill.
Ski Goggles
Smith 4D MAG
Smith is Kai Jones' optics sponsor — the BirdsEye lens shows the landing under your feet.
Ski Goggles
Quiksilver Travis Rice Signature Goggle
Travis Rice's own signature goggle line.
Ski Goggles
Oakley Flight Deck
The X Games park staple — massive field of view, fits over glasses.
Ski Helmet
Smith Vantage 2 MIPS
Flagship lid from Kai Jones' helmet-and-goggle sponsor — MIPS + Koroyd, BOA fit.
Merino Wool Ski Socks
Le Bent Cody Townsend Pro Series Snow Sock
Signature sock designed with big-mountain pro Cody Townsend of The Fifty.
Merino Wool Ski Socks
Darn Tough Ski/Snowboard OTC Socks
Lifetime warranty — quick-dry merino.
Waterproof Duffel Bag
Dakine EQ Duffle 70L
The ski-town workhorse from Kai Jones' bag sponsor.
Waterproof Duffel Bag
Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 55L
Bombproof weather-resistant build with lifetime repair.
High-SPF Sunscreen
Sun Bum Original SPF 50 Face Stick
Mountain staple — won't sweat off mid-run.
High-SPF Sunscreen
Supergoop PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50
The daily-wear favorite.
Insulated Water Bottle
Hydro Flask 32 oz Wide Mouth
The standard for all-day insulation.
Safety & emergencies
We want your day at Kirkwoodto be a great one — here's what to do if it isn't.
In an emergency, call 911Life-threatening injury, someone unresponsive, or anyone missing.If someone is hurt on the mountain
- Get ski patrol: tell the nearest lift operator or any resort staff, or call 911 directly. Note the closest trail sign or lift-tower number so help can find you.
- Keep the injured person still and warm — don't move anyone with a possible head, neck, or back injury. Cross skis uphill to flag the spot.
- For non-urgent help (lost item, where to find first aid), call the resort's guest-services line below.
Ski patrol is dispatched internally and doesn't publish a direct public number — reaching them through staff or 911 is the fastest verified path.
Kirkwood guest services
(209) 258-6000(non-emergency)Nearest hospitals & urgent care
- Directions to Marshall Ski Clinic (opens in a new tab)
Marshall Ski Clinic
1111 Sierra-At-Tahoe Rd, Twin Bridges, CA 95735, USA
- Directions to El Dorado County Mental Health (opens in a new tab)
El Dorado County Mental Health
1900 Lake Tahoe Blvd, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA
- Directions to Barton Memorial Hospital (opens in a new tab)
Barton Memorial Hospital
2170 South Ave, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA
- Directions to Barton Education (opens in a new tab)
Barton Education
2170B South Ave, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, USA
Nearest facilities by distance via Google Places — confirm hours and ER status before you go. This isn't a substitute for calling 911.
Not sure this is the right mountain?
Compare all 13 Tahoe resorts side by side — elevation, terrain mix, passes, and more.