Fernie ski resort is one of the world’s best known ski resorts featuring ‘steep and deep’ terrain. The ski resort, located very close to the town of Fernie in the southeastern British Columbia in western Canada. The town is situated in the Lizard Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Fernie is known for its high rate of annual snowfall (the highest in any resort in the Canadian Rockies) of around 875 centimetres and also for the powder skiing.

Fernie ski resort was called by the name of ‘Fernie Snow Valley’ till 1997 when it was sold to Resort of the Canadian Rockies (RCR).

Fernie Skiing:

Fernie ski resort has 10 lifts that cater to 112 different trails with a vertical drop of 857 metres. The total skiable terrain at the resort is 2,500 acres.

The skiing season at Fernie extends from December till April.

Skiing at Fernie is spread across five bowls. The beginners’ runs are mostly located in the lower altitudes and are well groomed. On the upper altitudes, however, there are only a few groomed runs and skiing becomes limited when conditions are icy and hard (unless you prefer moguls or bumps on the ski slopes). The experts can try the gnarly steps and chutes. On the days of high powder snow, the bowls at Fernie become a perfect place for skiing for the intermediates.

The snowboarders can ski in the beginners’ terrain park under the Deer Chair from where they can progress to Timber and Siberia bowls through the Timber Bowl Chair.

Fernie Winter Sports School offers lessons on private and group skiing and snowboarding.

Fernie Activities / Fernie Attractions:

• Mountain bike park at the resort during the summer
• Winter activities like cross-country skiing, sleigh rides, dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing and snowshoe trips.
• Trips to Kimberley ski resort or to Whitefish across the border in the USA
• Child care:
  facilities are available at Cornerstone Lodge for children between three weeks to six years. Children from three years and above can join skiing lessons. Kids Night Out is organized by the resort authorities every Wednesday and Saturday evening.
• Mid-mountain barbecue on Friday nights and guided torchlight descent at Elk Run.
• Shopping:
  Fernie has limited shopping opportunities although Second Avenue has quite a few interesting outlets. Frozen Ocean, for instance, has silk-screened T-shirts and hoodies.
• Splashing out:
  Stay in a luxury wilderness lodge at Island Lake Resort, west of Fernie, which offers Canada’s best cat skiing opportunities. Massage or alpine foot and leg treatment is also available.
• Après ski:
  Griz Bar at the mountain base is the place to be in for post skiing drink and also live music on weekend afternoons. Fernie Pub at Fernie town with pool tables, live bands and weekend DJ is also popular. The Central Bar, known for the night drinks, is open daily until 1 am.
• Eating out:
  Quite a few number of eateries are present in both the resort and the town of Fernie. Kelsey’s Bar and Grill, located next to the slopes, serves pasta, pizza and American dishes while Lizard Creek Dining Room provides gourmet dining. Downtown offers delicious pies and Australian cuisines.

Reaching Fernie:

• By air:
  Cranbrook (105 km) and Calgary (337 km) are the nearest airports to Fernie.
• By road:
  The city of Alberta is just 60 km away from Fernie.

Getting around:

A paid bus service operates between the town and the skiing site during the day time while a free shuttle service connects the resort and the town in the evening. On Tuesdays, a shuttle operates between Fernie and Kimberley ski resort.

Fernie Ski Resort Accommodation:

Tourists can either stay in the resort or the town although staying in the resort avoids regular drive up to the mountain.

• Lizard Creek Lodge
• Fernie Stanford Resort
• Super 8 Fernie (motel)
• Royal Hotel