Kirkwood
One of the highest base elevations in Tahoe and famous for deep, reliable snow. Best suited to confident intermediate and advanced skiers and riders.
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 hit Kirkwood?
Build a full trip plan with weather, driving directions, road conditions, and where to stay.
Plan a trip hereLift tickets
Book a Kirkwood day ticket online through Viator, a third-party reseller — prices may differ from buying directly at the resort.
Book lift tickets · Viator (opens in a new tab)Official 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, treated as a heuristic. Always confirm on the official mountain report.
- Tonight54°F · Mostly CloudyWind 3 to 8 mph
- Monday71°F · Mostly SunnyWind 9 mph
- Monday Night54°F · Mostly CloudyWind 7 mph
- Tuesday71°F · Partly SunnyWind 8 mph
- Tuesday Night54°F · Partly CloudyWind 3 to 8 mph
- Wednesday71°F · Mostly SunnyWind 8 mph
- Wednesday Night53°F · Mostly ClearWind 5 to 8 mph
- Thursday71°F · Mostly SunnyWind 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 Snow Jacket
Quiksilver Highline Pro GORE-TEX Jacket
Top of Travis Rice's signature Quiksilver line, the shell he rides in the backcountry.
Insulated Snow Jacket
Burton [ak] Cyclic GORE-TEX Jacket
Burton's pro-built [ak] line, the brand Chloe Kim and Zeb Powell ride for.
Insulated Snow Jacket
Jones Shralpinist 3L Jacket
From backcountry legend Jeremy Jones' own brand: storm gear built for big lines.
Waterproof Snow Pants or Bibs
Burton Covert 2.0 2L Insulated Pants
The everyday insulated pant from the brand Chloe Kim and Zeb Powell ride for. Thigh vents let you dump heat on the stairs.
Waterproof Snow Pants or Bibs
Quiksilver Travis Rice GORE-TEX Pro Bib
The bib half of Travis Rice's Quiksilver kit, built for the same days as the jacket.
Waterproof Snow Pants or Bibs
Patagonia Storm Shift Pants
A straightforward GORE-TEX resort pant, backed by Patagonia's repair program.
Waterproof Snow Gloves
Dakine Leather Titan GORE-TEX Glove
Flagship glove from Dakine, Kai Jones' gear sponsor.
Waterproof Snow Gloves
Hestra Army Leather Heli Glove
The big-mountain standard. On more pro freeride hands than any other glove.
Waterproof Snow Gloves
Crab Grab Cinch Mitt
Zeb Powell's glove sponsor, and the most fun mitts on the hill.
Snow Goggles
Smith 4D MAG
Smith is Kai Jones' optics sponsor, and the BirdsEye lens shows the landing under your feet.
Snow Goggles
Quiksilver Travis Rice Signature Goggle
Travis Rice's own signature goggle line.
Snow Goggles
Oakley Flight Deck
The X Games park staple. Massive field of view, fits over glasses.
Mid Layer (Fleece or Light Puffy)
Burton Crown Weatherproof Full-Zip Fleece
Water-resistant bonded fleece. The easy-on, easy-off layer that also survives the walk from the car.
Mid Layer (Fleece or Light Puffy)
Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket
Synthetic fill, so it keeps working when it gets damp. Packs into its own pocket when you shed it.
Mid Layer (Fleece or Light Puffy)
Arc'teryx Atom Hoody
Coreloft synthetic insulation that stays warm wet, and breathable enough to leave on all day.
Snow Helmet
Smith Vantage 2 MIPS
Flagship lid from Kai Jones' helmet-and-goggle sponsor. MIPS + Koroyd, BOA fit.
Merino Wool Ski & Snowboard Socks
Le Bent Cody Townsend Pro Series Snow Sock
Signature sock designed with big-mountain pro Cody Townsend of The Fifty.
Merino Wool Ski & Snowboard 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 that 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 & who to call
Ski patrol handles the resort. Past the ropes (hiking, snowshoeing, sidecountry), it's the county's search and rescue team instead. Here's how to reach each one at Kirkwood.
On the mountain: ski patrol
- Telling the nearest lift operator or any resort staff is the fastest way to reach patrol. Note the closest trail sign or lift-tower number so they can find you.
- For a life-threatening injury or anyone unresponsive, calling 911 dispatches patrol just as fast. 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.
Ski patrol is dispatched internally and doesn't publish a direct public number, so reaching them through staff or 911 is the fastest verified path.
Hiking, snowshoeing & sidecountry (outside the resort)
Once you're past resort boundaries, ski patrol has no jurisdiction. The county search and rescue team takes over.
Alpine County, CA
Alpine County is small and rural — the Sheriff's Office in Markleeville coordinates search and rescue directly. 911 stays fastest for anything urgent.
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.
Where to stay near Kirkwood
4 curated properties nearby
Guides for a Kirkwood trip
6 guides picked for this mountain
- Staying in South Lake TahoeThe busiest, most walkable base on the lake, what you can ski from it, and who it suits.
- Ikon vs. Epic Pass: Which Covers More of Tahoe?A resort-by-resort breakdown of which Tahoe mountains fall under Ikon, Epic, or neither, so you can pick the pass that actually matches where you want to ski.
- The Best Tahoe Resorts for Beginners, RankedA narrative ranking of Tahoe's most welcoming mountains for first-timers, using the same terrain data as our resort comparison tool.
- Driving to Tahoe from SacramentoWhich route to take from Sacramento depending on your side of the lake, and the timing that keeps you ahead of the weekend wave.
- Tahoe Ski Resort Parking, Explained (2026–27)Which resorts require weekend reservations, what they cost, and the carpool and arrive-late loopholes: every policy with its official link, on one page.
- What to Pack for a Tahoe Ski TripThe full list, sorted by what the conditions actually demand, so you're not buying a forgotten item at resort prices.
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