Sierra Rec Magazine Winter Ski and Travel Edition 2022

Kirkwood Turns 50 - Celebrating A Culture and Family dedicated to Pushing the Sport forward

Kirkwood was a location of interest and discussions of making Kirkwood a possible winter sports site were intriguing. The display of interest was not surprising, and in several ways, Kirkwood was the most eye-catching of the areas studied. First, it is a large and handsome alpine meadow, surrounded on three sides by spectacular slopes, making the whole a vast natural arena.

50 years of Deep Powder in Kirkwood

Courtesy of Kirkwood resort

Pictures from the first surveys showed that Kirkwood was designed for skiing by the mountain itself. Natural slide areas on the slopes added to a vision that would become one of America’s Iconic Deep Power Vertical Ski resorts.

Kirkwood Originally shaped by the Mountain

Original Ski Map from 1973

Skiers today continue to create new experiences

Kirkwood today is a full Mountain experience

Courtesy of Kirkwood Resort

The Allen Family at work taming the mountain

A vision of a resort shaped by the mountain itself.

Old image courtesy of Kirkwood resort

The Kirkwood Ski Resort opened in 1972 with four chairlifts. That could get approx.. 1100 people an hour up the mountain with a vertical rise of 1200 feet. From its inception, Kirkwood has fostered a skiing culture that would push the boundaries of the sport, encourage free culture and capture the spirit of the skiing community. in 2012 Kirkwood was Purchased by Vail resorts and its investment first into the Lifts and structure on the mountain and then into its people have made all the difference in what has become a Sierra favorite for the ski community. From the trained patrol staff that live one the mountain to identify safety issues to the crews that shovel out the parking areas, lifts and dining areas, the team at Kirkwood is excited to be hosting its 50th-year celebration in 2022, in what some are calling a celebration of “back to