Kirkwood Ski Resort

Kirkwood or the “Woods” offers skiers tons of snow, short lift lines, no frills and Expedition: Kirkwood, a unique, lift-accessed, out-of-bounds experience. Because of Kirkwood's reputation as a ski destination for advanced to expert skiers and boarders, the resort flies under the mainstream radar, so you won't experience any crowds. Kirkwood is blessed with Lake Tahoe-affect snow and most years’ the resort is inundated with snow. A Kirkwood ski vacation is like stepping back in time, this is a no-unnecessary-frills resort that harkens to the good old 1970s. The resort's focus is the skiing, you won't find big city restaurants or designer shops in the base area and many skiers and boarders find this a refreshing change from the modern ski resort. With so many decisions to make and a lot of gear to coordinate simplicity can be a blessing on a ski vacation.

Kirkwood is equidistant from Reno and Sacramento, about a 2.5-hour drive.  An important note: driving there requires that you avoid summer-only roads.

Ski Kirkwood

With 58 percent of the terrain designated for advanced and expert skiers you can bet who will best enjoy Kirkwood, although there are runs for everyone. Intermediates can enjoy 30 percent of Kirkwood's wide-open terrain and beginners have 12 percent of the terrain to experience.