Kirkwood, CA – During the 2010-2011 winter a staggering 781 inches of snow fell at Kirkwood through what was one of the most incredible seasons on record at the Sierra Nevada ski and snowboard resort. After a successful 2010-11 campaign, Kirkwood is set to kick off the new year with over $6 million in upgrades.
Clinic, private guide and backcountry awareness provider Expedition: Kirkwood is slated to launch its brand new $1,000,000 facility, Expedition: Kirkwood Outfitters. Located across from the Village Plaza and in partnership with Marmot, K2 and BCA, the facility includes a classroom/conference center, high end retail, demo gear and is the hub to learn about and explore the backcountry, sidecountry and Kirkwood’s terrain.
The new facility greatly expands the guiding capacity within Expedition: Kirkwood and the resort is projecting that it will triple the number of snowcat tours it operates in the upcoming season. Work this summer to expand the winter road to the Martin Point terrain will allow snowcat access almost every day of the season, along with additional nighttime cat tours and hike in tours in new zones in the surrounding areas.
The resort and K2 have teamed up to create a limited edition Expedition Kirkwood K2 Sidestash, an all-terrain shovel rocker adventure ski. Only 300 pairs of the skis have been produced and are now available.
The New Mountain Club at Kirkwood has undergone a $5,000,000 facelift after a fire in May and will be ready to open in mid-November. The new facility will have upgraded on-slope lodging accommodations from hotel style units to two-bedroom loft condominiums, a full workout room, spa, sauna, steam and massage treatment facilities in a core village location. The ground floor commercial space includes a newly renovated rental facility, demo center and the new Monte Wolfe’s cafeteria.
In addition to the new Monte Wolfe’s in the Mountain Club, Kirkwood is adding to its quarter million dollar restaurant upgrades from last season and is set to launch a new Friday evening dining experience in the elegant Off the Wall Bar & Grill. The specialty Friday menu is focused on unique wild game selections and traditional meats and vegetables served straight from an outdoor spit. Prices will begin at $39.95 per person, and reservations and pre-bookings are recommended.
On-mountain, Kirkwood has spent nearly $1,000,000 this off season to acquire three new grooming machines that will be dedicated to additional high angle grooming on steep terrain. Kirkwood is home to the steepest wench grooming in the region and the new fleet will allow for access to grooming of additional expert terrain.
Finally, for the winter 2011-12 Kirkwood has teamed up with Alpine Meadows Resort and Homewood Mountain Resort to offer combined season passes for both adults and college students with terrain on both the north and south shores of Lake Tahoe.