The first ski experience I had  was over here.. It was great... It was back in 2006.. It was midway through ski season and there was enough snow.. The day we came here, the sun was bright and shiny... We had a ski lesson at the beginning.. It was a bit tough.. but once we go the hang of it it was good.. The funda is not keep our legs stiff and make them a bit flexible and move it along with your body.. Anyways we had a great ski on the beginner slopes.. We had unlimited ride tickets so we went up thrice and came down... fell down a couple of times due to inexperience but luckily no broken bones.. our legs were pretty sore for the next couple of days as the boots were very heavy.. about 2 - 3 pounds each..
Anyways it was a great experience...
Amazing day of snowboarding!
This was my favorite mountain in the Northern Sierras. I hit a few of them this winter after taking a LONG hiatus from snowboarding. Kirkwood is what an east coaster expects from the Sierras...a beautiful windy drive over a mountain pass through some avy zones...a secluded and gorgeous spread out mountain where you can see the guy getting first tracks in the bowl on your way up right at 9:00 AM.
I was there on Easter Sunday 2013 and got 6" of overnight freshies and a 50 degree bluebird day with just enough cool breeze to keep the slush at bay. Perfect into to Kirkwood.
Since it seemed like mostly an intermediate/expert mountain and I was just coming back to boarding - I booked a half day group lesson - really just to have someone to board with. I learned to board by "keeping up" in the 90s and so there's some mechanics and technique stuff I don't know. So when I ended up getting a 1 1/2 hr private lesson instead with the most amazing woman, I really hit the jackpot! Her name was Teri Jones and if you are ever at Kirkwood - request a private lesson with her because she will take you to the next level and leave you bursting with confidence. On my 3rd day back from 12 years off a board we did mostly blues but hit Upper Zachary. With a little coaching on dynamic riding, posture and balance I was able to get through most of the steeper upper part without constantly washing out going to the heelside. I was able to link turn through most of it and didn't have to sideslip or falling leaf like an idiot. It was instrumental in getting my black diamond confidence back, because in the afternoon after the lesson I went over to Snowsnake Gully (the exit of The Wall run) and had the time of my life. Best run of the season - best run of the last 12 years!
I really wanted to come back for her one day Expedition Kirkwood women's camp on closing day. But my boss had me working that day. But if you need to hit steeps or learn to shred Sierra cement, I suggest you call up Kirkwood and ask for Terri Jones. She was amazing!
Can't say I can give a good review for Kirkwood since I'm new to skiing, but if I were to make a good guess, I would say for more experienced skiers, try Heavenly. Â Kirkwood is definitely a fun place for beginners to intermediate levels. Â
GOOD: Rob and David, really good trainers for beginner skiers.  They really can spot your problem areas, and help you correct them.  They also make you enjoy your time while learning, and spend pretty much the entire day with you - which for me - beginners need.  They help you when you fall down, and teach you proper ways to get on and off a lift, to stop  when down a slope, and how to walk it skis.
The slopes in Kirkwood are not so high and straight down - good for beginners. Â There are no sharp turns or really deep hills at the Bunny Slopes. Â
BAD: Renting is a bit chaotic. Â They don't accomodate as well or direct you fully(they assume you've been here a million times already), so as a beginner I had absolutely no idea what to do or how to get my ski equipment. Â
1) You first register your name, and info on a computer if this is your first time or don't come often at all. Â After that your info is pretty much in the system at all ski resort locations.
2) Get a fitting for shoe size, but those on.
3) Get your skies and poles(one of my friends wasn't even given poles, she had to go back in to get them)
The rental area to do the fitting is rather small, crowded, and accident prone with all it's black - pole - obstacles in the way to form lines. Â The so-called "locker" space is actually a grey bucket behind the counter for someone to watch. $5.00 for a bucket.
The cafe is a good size. Â They have some drinking water and a bathroom. Â They have chairs outside in the snow, and plenty of racks to park your skis/poles.
My recommendation: if you are absolute new to skiing. Tackle Kirkwood until you have mastered not falling down so much at the easy to intermediate runs. Â Then checkout other resorts. Â Plus during holidays(I went during Easter), there aren't as many people as other places.
I've only taken a ski bus up to Kirkwood twice so far so my review goes toward the slopes and not the resort. Â Ski/Board rental area is fairly simple. Â It's done in an orderly fashion: Register, Boot sizing and fitting, ski/board sizing (board Regular or Goofy binding installation to your preference,) then payment. Â There are two main areas with different skill level slopes. Â Timber Creek is the beginner and advanced side of the mountain and the only one I've been on so far. Â Not much more to say, gotta get back out there soon!
Review Source:I had 2 great days at Kirkwood. Great terrain for advanced skiers & friendly staff.
It could use some newer amenities such as hand dryers in the restrooms. I'm sure this is soon to come with the recent purchase by Vail Resorts.
There are limited dining spots around the base and on the mountain your only option is a grill on the back side.
First time skiing in Tahoe, I checked out three ski resorts: Heavenly, Kirkwood, & Sierra. Of the three places, Kirkwood was by far my favorite. As a beginner, I loved the amazing variety of blue slopes (~25) from both the Timber Creek and Mountain Village bases: all wide & long.
Despite the holiday weekend, Kirkwood didn't feel so crowded. The friendly staff did an excellent job at the lift lines to smooth the traffic. And, with the long trails, the ratio of ski run:lift line kept my fun time high.
Oh and one more thing: PB&J hot dog with sriracha!
I was very skeptical of this ski resort growing up in CO. Â How could the snow be good in Cali...there's beaches near by??
After hearing about foot after foot of snow that Tahoe was receiving, I decided to give it a try. Â I was pleasantly surprised. Â If you order your pass in advance it only costs $136 to ski for 2 days, which is really rare for a Vail owned mountain. Â And parking is free at the base!!! Also there weren't any lines so we were able to take run after run until we could barely walk. Â The snow was still fresh even though they hadn't received snow for a couple days. Â If you make it to the backside the wave has open bowl skiing or tight tree skiing all off of the same lift.
When we stopped for lunch we grabbed picnic chairs outside and sat in the sun, drank a beer and enjoyed a burger. Â All of which fit into the relaxing atmosphere of the resort.
The only downsides to this resort are it is a little further on the outskirts of Tahoe compared to other mountains (probably why its not crowded). Â The lifts are slow as they haven't updated to new high speed chairs.
I will definitely be back and hopefully the snow keeps coming!!!
Kirkwood has always been a great place to ski, but their customer service in every area has improved dramatically this year. Â From equipment rentals to the Outback Snack Bar by Lift 4 the employees are friendly, efficient, proactive and a pleasure to deal with. Â The rentals are now handled electronically - much easier - and the lift tickets we bought at REI didn't have to be traded in or acknowledged, just attached to our jackets. Â I had an equipment problem (buckle broke on a boot) and I was immediately helped by the first employee I met in the rental area. Â No hand-off, no waiting. Â They moved my street shoes to the new rack, helped me get my new boots on and got me on my way in record time. Â When we came back in to return our gear they had changed the configuration of the benches to facilitate the traffic flow. Â Smart! Â Â The Snack Bar by the Sunrise lift has limited food options given it's on the far edge of the resort, but the hamburger was hot off the grill with fresh condiments and an excellent bun. Â Whoever is in charge of the hospitality and customer service deserves a huge "Thank you" from us. Â What a delightful experience!
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