7 of the Most Impressive Freeride Lines in Kirkwood

The foreboding cliffs that crown the ridge above Kirkwood Mountain Resort hide a vast array of impressive freeride lines.

Greg Heil

Images

Sentinel Bowl

by Doug Letterman

Creative Commons: Attribution

img_guidebook_hero_47_title@2x_2708W.png

Creative Commons: Attribution

img_guidebook_hero_47_image@2x_2708W.jpg

Creative Commons: Attribution

Creative Commons: Attribution

Description

Kirkwood Mountain Resort is home to ski runs of all difficulty, ranging from beginner all the way up to expert. No matter what kind of skiing you're looking for, you'll be able to find it here. That said, if you're looking for a challenge, Kirkwood can definitely provide! While Kirkwood may not be as infamous for gnarly freeride lines as nearby Squaw Valley, the cliffs that crown the ridge above Kirkwood Mountain Resort, combined with Peak 9795 to the south of the resort and Thunder Mountain to the north of the resort, together offer a wide array of impressive freeride lines ranging from merely challenging, to insanely technical. Here are 7 of the most impressive.

Adventures

Heart Chute

A narrow chute shaped like a heart surrounded by large volcanic walls that funnel into a large cliff.

Top of the Wall

Incredibly steep corniced slope great for steep turns and littered with small cliffs

Upper Chamonix

An extremely steep chute that generally has a cornice with a runout into Chamoix

Main Line

The most conservative line in the zone that avoids rocks and cliffs

Thunderbowl Rights

Steep bowl that is out of bounds from Glove Rock to the skier's left of Palisades Ridge

Pipeline

Classic North Facing line of Peak 9795

Icefall Chute

Steep exposed line that has an icefall cliff that leads into a chute