Vail acquires Kirkwood ski area in California
Vail Resorts is purchasing Kirkwood Mountain Resort at Lake Tahoe, Calif., opening up a whole bunch of new terrain to Epic Pass skiers and riders.
Kirkwood is "recognized by skiers and snowboarders as offering some of the best high alpine advanced terrain in North America," according to a news release from Vail Resorts.
The property includes the undeveloped sites at the center of the base area, which are zoned for residential and commercial development.
The cost? $18 million.
The seller will retain a participation interest in the base area parcels and will continue to own the remainder of the real estate development sites.
This means Vail Resorts will now operate three world-class mountain resorts in the Lake Tahoe region: Kirkwood, Heavenly Mountain and Northstar.
Vail Resorts also announced that, effective immediately, Heavenly and Northstar pass holders will have access to Kirkwood and Kirkwood pass holders will be able to ski and ride Heavenly and Northstar.
“We are thrilled to welcome Kirkwood into our family as our seventh world-class mountain resort. Kirkwood offers some of the most extraordinary ski terrain found anywhere in North America with high alpine trails and the most annual average snowfall in Lake Tahoe. Kirkwood represents skiing and riding at its purest, something we intend to retain and protect long into the future,” said Rob Katz, chairman and chief executive officer of Vail Resorts, in the news release. “When combined with Heavenly and Northstar, we will be able to offer our guests and pass holders unparalleled value with the very best that Lake Tahoe has to offer. We are excited to be able to offer Kirkwood to our pass holders right away — it's like opening day to a whole new season.”
Epic Pass holders will have unrestricted access to ski and ride Kirkwood.
For more information on how to use your pass at Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood, visit www.bestoftahoe.com.
Kirkwood is about 35 miles southwest of South Lake Tahoe and is surrounded by National Forest. It gets an average of 472 inches of snow annually. Kirkwood offers 2,000 feet of vertical drop and more than 2,300 acres of terrain from groomed beginner runs to "hair-raising" cornices and cliffs, according to the news release.
The resort includes four terrain parks, from beginner to advanced, as well as a Boarder X course.
Vail Resorts expects to close on the acquisition of Kirkwood Mountain Resort within the next month. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Closing is subject to certain conditions, including transfer of the U.S. Forest Service Permit.
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