Trip Report
There’s no question that Lake Tahoe is home to some of the most beautiful ski resorts in the country. But what’s truly special is access to three unique resorts offering world-class terrain and amenities, all on the Epic Pass. Within the Tahoe region, Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood Ski Resorts provide everything that you could want, need, and possibly be looking for during your time on and off the slopes. Whether that’s big-mountain technical skiing, breathtaking views, and unbeatable vibes, or a more family-oriented feel, each of these incredible resorts offers an unmatched experience. Here’s a first-hand look at what makes the Epic Lake Tahoe resorts stand out, no matter the timing or weather.
Kirkwood Mountain Resort
Report from Friday, March 20, 2026
Day three of our Epic Lake Tahoe road trip took us to my personal favorite big mountain in the entire region, Kirkwood Mountain Resort. Driving into the valley is a special feeling in itself, with the craggy peaks and vast, freeride terrain almost surrounding you, making up this beast of a mountain. We got ourselves ready and shot right over to Cornice Express (Chair 6) since the sun had already softened that aspect. It’s hard for me to really put into words the feelings I get when skiing here: overly excited and grateful, proud and accomplished, and mostly just happy and stoked to be on this mountain and able to do this. As a born-and-raised Michigander who learned to ski on the East Coast, places like Kirkwood are the reason we dreamed of coming out West.
Freeride has been in Kirkwood’s DNA since the very beginning. The steep runs, volcanic cliffs, and gnarly chutes have been attracting big mountain skiers and snowboarders for a long time. Events like the Freeride World Tour and Natural Selection have made stops here over the years, hosting some of the world’s best on snow. Serious “no fall zone” terrain in The Cirque, a zone permanently closed to the public, will occasionally open up for the professionals at these events, making it their personal playground. And it doesn’t stop there. The FWT Challenger and FWT Junior series often hold stops here as well, showcasing up-and-coming youth and FWT-chasing athletes. Needless to say, the roots of freeride run tremendously deep here at Kirkwood.
As we bounced over the bumps and slush off Chair 6, it was clear that the snow was holding up nicely, all things considered. There weren’t too many areas with low snow coverage on the runs, except for a few spots on the lower mountain. The grooming team has obviously been working diligently to move snow and keep conditions as good as possible for as long as possible. Directly under Chairs 5 and 6, Zachary was skiing phenomenally with a nice soft layer of corn that you could really dig an edge into. Since it was a mellow morning, we both were ripping some laid-out, racer-style turns on the mellower pitch of Lower Zachary and hooting and hollering while doing so.
A majority of this expansive mountain offers unparalleled, no-frills, all-thrills skiing, not necessarily for the faint of heart. However, the Timber Creek area of the resort, with beginner- and intermediate-friendly terrain, appeals more to those hoping to progress and someday work their way up to the nearby bigger lines. Additionally, two terrain parks, Bandit and Buckaroo, provide the option to add some freestyle flair to your freeriding abilities. While the main reason people flock to Kirkwood is for more technical, big-mountain skiing, the raw, wild, and natural beauty of the landscape that makes up this area has a genuinely unique draw as well.
At this point, it looked like the sun was softening the snow over on The Wall, so we ventured to Chair 10 and took a ride up one of my all-time favorite lifts. After a brief traverse through a small field of moguls, the slope got smoother and softer, and we could really open it up and let it rip. A bunch of fast and fun laps down The Wall and Buckboard was the perfect way to end the day. This is what spring skiing at “The Wood” is all about! As the lifts stopped spinning, we checked into our room at the slope-side Mountain Club. Like clockwork, we hit the trifecta: hot tub, sauna, and steam room, then refuelled at The Cornice Grill for dinner so we could do it all again tomorrow.
