Guidebook

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.

Sentinel Bowl

by Doug Letterman | 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.

Heart Chute
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Heart Chute

Kirkwood
77 m41°N0 m0.1 km
A narrow chute shaped like a heart surrounded by large volcanic walls that funnel into a large cliff.
Extreme
Private
Top of the Wall
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Top of the Wall

Kirkwood
151 m40°N0 m0.3 km
Incredibly steep corniced slope great for steep turns and littered with small cliffs
Severe
Private
Upper Chamonix
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Upper Chamonix

Lake Tahoe
85 m41°0 m0.1 km
An extremely steep chute that generally has a cornice with a runout into Chamoix
Severe
Private
Main Line
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Main Line

Lake Tahoe
226 m46°7 m0.7 km
The most conservative line in the zone that avoids rocks and cliffs
Difficult
Private
Thunderbowl Rights
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Thunderbowl Rights

Lake Tahoe
177 m40°9 m0.5 km
Steep bowl that is out of bounds from Glove Rock to the skier's left of Palisades Ridge
Difficult
Private
Pipeline
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Pipeline

Lake Tahoe
357 m49°1 m0.7 km
Classic North Facing line of Peak 9795
Extreme
Private
Icefall Chute
The best Adventures on FATMAP, hand-picked by FATMAP’s Editorial team.

Icefall Chute

Lake Tahoe
128 m59°0 m0.2 km
Steep exposed line that has an icefall cliff that leads into a chute
Extreme
Private