Industry News
Kirkwood Mountain, California, is another ski resort in the Sierra Nevada that has shut down operations due to extreme weather conditions. June Mountain, California, also shut down on Thursday, February 13, due to extreme weather and safety concerns. On its website, the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center stated that very dangerous avalanche conditions exist today. Large natural avalanches are likely at all elevations, and travel in or beneath avalanche terrain is not recommended.
Kirkwood is just a few miles south of Lake Tahoe and offers a unique local feel and world-class terrain. Its base elevation is 7,800 feet, one of the highest in Tahoe, and its southern position generally sees lighter, drier snow than the typical Sierra Cement of Lake Tahoe. There are officially 86 runs on the mountain serviced by 13 lifts providing access to 2,300 acres of terrain.
Kirkwood Mountain posted this statement on its Instagram Page:
“Kirkwood will be closed for the remainder of the day on Thursday, 2/13, due to high winds and low visibility. Fortunately, the snow is still coming down hard, with NOAA forecasting another 3-5’ by tomorrow. Our teams are working around the clock to dig out, get lifts spinning, and open terrain.
This is a big storm—the kind the Sierras are known for. These systems move in fast and intense, bringing big amounts of snow in a short period of time. We’re ready to weather this storm and reap the benefits on the other side. Thank you for your patience, and we’ll keep you updated.”
Kirkwood is no stranger to extreme weather and experienced an extraordinary weather event on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, when winds at the summit reached a staggering 206 miles per hour. The gusts were measured at the resort’s summit weather station, situated at approximately 9,186 feet. This extreme wind speed is among the highest ever recorded in California.
The key message from the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center is that a weak snowpack extends across the Eastern Sierra forecast region and is being actively loaded very quickly. Regardless of the avalanche type, people should expect large natural avalanches to occur at the surface and on weak layers buried in the snowpack. The avalanche center added that very dangerous conditions exist; traveling in, beneath, or near avalanche terrain is not recommended.
The National Weather Service stated on its website:
WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM PST FRIDAY ABOVE 4500 FEET
* WHAT…Heavy snow. Heaviest accumulations of 2 to 5 feet possible.
above 6000 feet with 5 to 15 inches between 4500 and 6000 feet.
Winds could gust as high as 60 mph.
* WHERE…West Slope Northern Sierra Nevada and Western Plumas
County/Lassen Park.
* WHEN…Until 10 PM PST Friday.
* IMPACTS…Very difficult travel conditions with chain controls and
potential road closures. The hazardous conditions could impact the
Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes. Heaviest snowfall
expected today with snow rates of 1-2+ inches per hour at times.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Snow levels 4500 to 6000 feet throughout the
day.
For more information, visit Kirkwood’s website.
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