Kirkwood ready to celebrate

KIRKWOOD — With seven feet of new snow in the past four days, Kirkwood Mountain Resort is living up to its reputation for the deepest and driest snow in Tahoe and is well on its way to exceeding its average annual snowfall total of 600 inches. The 2012-13 season snowfall total for Kirkwood is 210 inches, with additional snow in the immediate forecast heading into the New Year.

“This storm really delivered the amount of snow we had anticipated it to, and it sets Kirkwood up with amazing conditions for the holidays,” said Casey Blann, Kirkwood’s general manager. “You want the 40th Anniversary Celebration to go off with a bang and having the legendary deep snow Kirkwood has been known for 40 seasons is really representative of the type of mountain Kirkwood is and will make the day even more special.”

On New Year’s Eve, Kirkwood will turn up the festive notch by also celebrating the resort’s 40th birthday.

Celebrations will include the resort’s ever-popular annual Torchlight Parade, a fireworks display, and performances by fire dancers and aerialists.

To top off the night, Kirkwood will host an after-party at the Red Cliffs Lodge, where guests can dance the night away with a DJ, go-go dancers, light show, and, of course, a countdown to midnight and 2013.

Other holiday activities guest can enjoy include: full moon snowshoe treks through the Kirkwood Cross Country Center; private guides with expedition: Kirkwood; and evening snow cat tours, which take guests to the top of chair 2 for a spectacular evening view of the valley.

Throughout the holidays, Kirkwood also offers a full range of ski and ride school programs including private lessons and group lessons for children as young as 2, and for the non-skiers more than 50 kilometers of some of the most scenic and challenging cross country trails in the Sierra.

Kirkwood Mountain Resort is one of the nation’s top destination resorts. Located along scenic Highway 88, its base elevation of 7,800-feet, assures skiers more annual snowfall than any other resort in North America. Kirkwood is recognized by winter purists and national media alike for the quality of its snow and terrain variety and is a true skier’s destination.

For more information about Kirkwood Mountain Resort visit kirkwood.com or call 209-258-6000.