Kirkwood snow report
Kirkwood
Kirkwood ski resort, located in California, is known for its high elevation and extensive terrain. The resort boasts 86 runs, with the best trails being Cornice Express, Sentinel, and Zachary. An interesting fact is that Kirkwood was founded in the 1960s by an Olympic skier, and was one of the first ski resorts in the United States to allow snowboarding. For beginner skiers, a great suggestion is to take the Timber Creek Express lift to access easier runs like Lower Monte Wolfe and Conestoga. As for apres ski, The Wall Bar & Grill is a popular spot with a lively atmosphere and delicious food.
Terrain mix: Kirkwood ski resort in California is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. The resort is known for its steep terrain, deep snow, and challenging runs. Some of the key mountain aspects of Kirkwood ski resort include:
1. The Sisters: A group of three prominent peaks located near the resort, offering challenging terrain for expert skiers and snowboarders.
2. Thunder Mountain: A popular area for advanced skiers and snowboarders, featuring steep chutes, cliffs, and deep powder.
3. Red Cliffs: A series of cliffs and rock formations that provide some of the most difficult terrain at the resort.
4. The Cirque: An expansive bowl area with a mix of steep chutes, open powder fields, and tree runs, perfect for advanced and expert skiers.
5. Palisades: A collection of steep, rocky chutes and cliffs that offer some of the most challenging terrain at Kirkwood.
Overall, Kirkwood ski resort is known for its rugged mountain terrain, varied snow conditions, and challenging runs that attract advanced and expert skiers and snowboarders looking for a thrilling mountain experience.
Plan your day down to the hour
Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no. Watch the snow column the morning of a storm to know when to call in sick.
Next 5 days, hour by hour
Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.
5-day forecast table
Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind. Each cell is colour-coded relative to the column min/max.
| Time | Condition | Temp (°F) | Snow (in) | Rain (in) | Humidity (%) | Wind (mps) | Wind dir |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loading detailed forecast… | |||||||
15-day temperature & snow
Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks -- start of next storm cycle, end of last one.
Nearby SNOTEL stations
USDA NRCS SNOTEL stations within driving range. Cross-check whether the snow at Kirkwood is a one-off accumulation or a regional storm cycle.
| Station | Snowpack | View |
|---|---|---|
| Black Springs | 0 in | → |
| Burnside Lake | 1 in | → |
| Nohrsc Leavitt Lake | 43 in | → |
| Nohrsc White Wolf Raws | 1 in | → |
| Nohrsc Sonora Pass | 1 in | → |
| Nohrsc Poison Flat | 3 in | → |
| Tahoe Donner Raws | 0 in | → |
| Incline Village-Knox 2 | 0 in | → |
| Independence Lake | 14 in | → |
| Nohrsc Forni Ridge | 1 in | → |
| Poison Flat | 2 in | → |
| Ward Creek #3 | 1 in | → |
Beyond the slopes
Other ski areas, basecamp options, alpine fishing, and scenic stops near Kirkwood -- worth knowing whether you're in for a day, a long weekend, or a season pass.
Other ski areas
- Sierra At Tahoe
- Bear Valley Mountain Resort
- Heavenly Ski Resort
- Homewood Mountain Resort
- Granlibakken Ski Resort
Campgrounds
- Caples Lake Campground
- Caples Lake
- Two Sentinels Girl Scout Camp
- Kirkwood Lake
- Kirkwood Campground
- Woods Lake Campground
Fishing spots
Mountain & avalanche safety
- Know before you go
- Check today's avalanche bulletin from the regional avalanche center before any off-piste / side-country / backcountry travel. Conditions can shift dramatically between morning and afternoon on storm days.
- Carry the gear, know how to use it
- Beacon, shovel, probe. Practice companion rescue on a calm day, not during a real burial.
- Mind the weather window
- Heavy snow + wind builds wind slabs at ridgelines. The day after a storm is often the riskiest in the backcountry, even if the resort itself is open.
- Respect closed terrain
- Ropes are there for a reason. Even in-bounds, ducking a closure can trigger a slide that catches you and others below.
Track Kirkwood in the Snoflo app
Save this resort as a favorite, set push alerts when snowfall crosses a threshold (e.g. "alert me when Kirkwood reports 6″ new"), and Snoflo's iOS app will push the moment the SNOTEL station crosses.
About Kirkwood
Where does the snow data for Kirkwood come from?
Snowpack, SWE, 24-hour snowfall, and air temperature come from the nearest USDA NRCS SNOTEL station. Forecast comes from the National Weather Service / yr.no feed that Snoflo's iOS app uses.
How often is the snow report updated?
Snowpack and SNOTEL data are updated continuously by NRCS (typically hourly). The 15-day weather forecast is refreshed throughout the day. Snoflo caches and renders the most recent observation -- look for the "as of" timestamp on the snowpack hero.
What's the elevation at Kirkwood?
See the Resort Metrics panel above for base / summit / vertical drop. The summit elevation drives snowpack accumulation -- higher summits hold snow longer through spring.
How is "% of normal" calculated?
Today's snowpack is compared to the average snowpack on this calendar day across every recorded year at the nearest SNOTEL. 100% means right on average; 130% is a big year; 60% is thin.
What ski resorts are near Kirkwood?
See the Other Ski Areas pill grid at the bottom of the page for resorts within driving distance. The sister Other Ski Areas card in the Plan-a-longer-trip grid above shows the closest few.
Can I get alerts when fresh snow hits?
Yes -- snow alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this resort, set a snowfall threshold (e.g. "alert me when 6+ inches"), and you'll get a push the moment the SNOTEL crosses.
Other resorts near here
Snoflo-tracked ski areas within driving distance of Kirkwood.