Kirkwood, CALIF. – Nov. 26, 2024 – With 29 inches of new snow and an incredible effort by its Mountain Operations and Snowmaking teams, Kirkwood Mountain Resort is thrilled to welcome guests back to the slopes for another unforgettable winter season, starting on Saturday, November 30 – six days earlier than scheduled. With the 2024/25 season officially starting early, now is the perfect time to lock in access to Kirkwood, Heavenly, Northstar, and other world-class resorts before Epic Passes go off sale on December 2.
On Opening Day, guests can look forward to skiing and riding on Chairs 5, 6, 7, and 9 from 9am to 4pm. These four chairs will offer access to 365 acres of terrain and one terrain park. The resort’s Snowmaking and Mountain Operation teams will continue making snow when temperatures are low enough and monitoring conditions to expand terrain and lift offerings for the weeks ahead.
Kirkwood’s Opening Day promises to be a fantastic kickoff to the season, with terrain for all skill levels ready to enjoy. The early-season footprint includes top-to-bottom runs, a mix of beginner-to-advanced terrain, and our Time Square Pocket Terrain Park to jumpstart the winter fun. Gear rentals will be available daily from 8:30am to 4:30pm at Kirkwood Mountain Sports and Village Rental. Private lessons will launch on Opening Day on a first-come, first-served basis. Fuel your day with coffee from the General Store or try out our exciting new menu offerings at Monte Wolfe’s and Snowshoe Thompsons.
“Our team is thrilled to kick off the 2024/25 winter season earlier than planned here at Kirkwood,” said Ricky Newberry, VP & GM of Kirkwood Mountain Resort. “Opening Day is always an exciting time, but starting the season ahead of schedule truly showcases the incredible dedication of our team. We’re ready to welcome guests back to enjoy the incredible mountain experience and welcoming atmosphere that make Kirkwood such a special place.”
New this season, Kirkwood will debut a reservations-based parking program that offers guests a variety of choices for parking this season, with a combination of both free and paid parking options as well as carpool incentives. This program will kick off in Mid-December on weekends (Saturday - Sunday) and peak periods in all lots – more details can be found on the “Getting Here & Parking” webpage. As always, carpooling is highly recommended any time guests visit the resort.
Guests that are joining any of our resorts have six days left to lock in their Epic Pass, as all Pass products go off sale on December 2. There is an Epic Pass for everyone, including the Epic 1-day Pass and the Tahoe Local and Value Passes. Passes provide significant savings compared to lift tickets, so lock in a pass now and decide where and when to ski and ride later! Whether planning to hit the slopes one day or every day, by purchasing a pass now, guests will get the best value, plus flexibility and benefits not offered with traditional lift tickets. That includes 20% off on-mountain dining, group ski and ride lessons, lodging, rentals and more with Epic Mountain Rewards. Pass Holders will have discounted lodging options across Vail Resorts' portfolio of hotels, condos and premier vacation residences.
Returning this season with new features is the My Epic app with Mobile Pass and Mobile Lift Tickets. The My Epic App allows guests to use their phone as their ticket to the slopes. Mobile Lift Tickets is a hands-free option for skiers and riders to use at all three Vail Resorts’ owned Tahoe resorts for the 2024/25 season. By using the app, guests can buy their pass or lift ticket online, activate it in the app, put their phone in their pocket, and get scanned, hands free in the lift line using Bluetooth® technology designed for low energy usage to minimize the impact on a phone’s battery life. New this season, the My Epic app will include the Find My Friends feature, allowing skiers and riders to share their location with friends and family on the mountain. Additionally, the My Epic app will feature My Epic Assistant An in-app guide powered by AI and resort experts for mountain information. The My Epic app also offers a range of guest-favorite features, including interactive trail maps, and mountain and resort alerts, including operational information like grooming updates, terrain status, snow reports and conditions.
Guests can use the My Epic app for daily updates and real-time information, along with other important news throughout the season on the new – once in the app, look for the bell in the top right corner to see a feed of real-time guest alerts. Guests can also learn about the latest on our teams’ social channels: Instagram, Facebook, Resort Twitter/X, Mountain Operations Twitter/X
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Media Assets HERE, credit to "Kirkwood Mountain Resort"
Media Contact: Carly Mangan, carly.c.mangan@vailresorts.com