Introducing the Elk Grove Forest Playground!
New for Summer 2024 – Introducing the Elk Grove Forest Playground!
Phase 1 of construction for our new Elk Grove Forest Playground is well underway.
Located among a beautiful shady tree island at the top of the Elk Chair, this forest playground is a great place for kids to explore and play.
The Elk Grove will be a vibrant addition to the other summer activities that guests can access via the Elk Chair. Families can embark on a day of adventure, starting their visit with a ride up the Elk Chairlift and exploring the Elk Grove Forest Playground and Nature Bob’s Interpretive Centre.
Enjoy a family-friendly hike, passing by an observation deck with spectacular views and educational interpretive signs. Then, return to the Bear’s Den to enjoy refreshing beverages, snacks, and everyone’s favourite – ice cream!
Features of the new Elk Grove Forest Playground include:
- Pirate Ship
- Bridges
- Slide
- Chairlift Swings
- Cargo Climbing Net
- Sandbox
- Paths winding through the forest connecting all of the play features
- Picnic Area
Phase 1 of the Playground will be complete for Opening Day on Saturday, June 22nd. Plans for future phases are in development and will include more fun and creative play structures.
All Fernie Alpine Resort summer lift tickets and season passes include access to the Elk Grove Forest Playground. Children must be supervised by their responsible parent/adult.
Purchase your summer pass here – https://skifernie.com/purchase/summer-season-passes/
Purchase your summer lift tickets here – https://tickets.skifernie.com/product-category/summer-lift-tickets/
The Elk Grove promises a unique, fun-filled experience for kids and families. Come and join us for an unforgettable adventure!
#FernieStoke Ski Shuttle
For all information on the Fernie Ski Shuttle, please visit the following website.
#FernieStoke Local Ski Shuttle
Summer of ’22
Tomorrow is the day, we open for summer 2022!
Enjoy lift-accessed mountain biking, hiking & sightseeing all summer long!
The Elk Chair will be open daily from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm (with extended hours from 10:30 am to 7:00 pm on Thursdays).
Our summer operations run from June 25th to September 5th
Lizard Lane is freshly built and ready to go. A favourite addition to our trail network that’s been a staple over the past few summers.
Ben’s Big Rig is back for 2022 as a green run to access Deer Trail or to ride all the way down to Bear load with access to Lower Duff Dynasty. Ben’s Big Rig received dirt and machine work to build up berms and remove brake bumps. This work is still being finished off so may not be ready for opening day, but will be soon after.
Upper Top Gun had a berm and jump rebuild by hand last fall. There are plans to rebuild the middle section this summer.
Get the Girls Out! International Women’s Day at Fernie Alpine Resort
This weekend Fernie Alpine Resort is celebrating International Women’s Day with SheJumps! You can play the online Get the Girls Out! game all weekend (Friday – Sunday) and meet up for in-person activities on Sunday, March 6 at the Elk Base.
SheJumps Get the Girls Out! is a national campaign to unite women as they support, challenge, mentor, and inspire each other in the outdoor sports world.
Due to COVID precautions, our 2022 event will follow a hybrid model using a virtual scavenger hunt through the Goosechase app and a few on-hill games at Fernie! This gives participants the flexibility to engage with the SheJumps community at the level at which they are comfortable.
Beginning on Friday, March 4, 2022, participants can begin playing the Get the Girls Out! event using the Goosechase app on their phone. Registration for the event is free, and you’re connecting with people from around the world and also your local community. Win points by completing the missions. Then, meet up with SheJumps co-founder and executive director, Claire Smallwood, on Sunday at the Elk Base to participate in some on-hill challenges at Fernie Alpine Resort. The virtual game is live until Sunday, March 6, 2022, at 7 p.m. MST.
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Andrea Byrne and Oliva Johnson – SheJumps Ambassadors. Photo: Emma Polit
Golden Girafficorn Hunt – find the golden ‘girafficorns’ on the mountain and bring it back to the booth to be entered to win a prize!
- Photo challenges – Snag a picture with your shred buddies and upload it to social media tagging @shejumps and @ferniealpineresort, we’ll choose a winner at the end of the day!
Can’t make it to the ski hill? No worries! Using a mobile app, participants complete outdoor-themed missions to earn points and receive prizes from SheJumps partners. The Goosechase challenges feature 150 activities to complete and earn points. From nature breakdancing to drawing SheJumps’ signature Girafficorn to outdoor safety and preparation challenges, Get The Girls Out! gives women and girls an accessible way to enjoy time outside.
Get the Girls Out! and International Women’s Day reminds us that we can build a world where difference is valued and celebrated, and a world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Getting outside is an easy and fun way to celebrate the power of community and the importance of outdoor play.
Read more about the event at Fernie Alpine Resort here.
Questions? Contact SheJumps [email protected]
Photo: Jason Hummel
Fernie Alpine Resort’s Multi-Use Trail System
Important Update – June 25, 2021
Fernie Alpine Resort is excited to announce that, as of June 26, 2021, guests will once again have access to our complete multiuse trail system, which includes all trails outside our winter/summer operational boundaries.
All users will now be required to have a valid FAR Multi-Use Trails Access Pass ($5 including gst) and completed a waiver to be allowed access. The waiver needs to be done in person, so please come into our Guest Services office to complete it, and receive your Pass.
The Passes will not be valid for use on the lifts and do not allow the holder access to our Bike Park in the summer, or our ski area in the winter, at any time.
The Pass will allow access to the following trails –
Trails to the South – Silk, Manchuria, Scandia, Double Creek, Double Creek Extension.
Trails to the North – Hobbit, View, Black Forest, Megahurtz, Upper Old Goat, New Goat, Upper Gorby, Upper Verboten, Snakebite)
For more details on the location of trails, please refer to the maps below.
The Pass and waiver will be valid for the calendar year, expiring on December 31, and will cover all non-motorised use of the trails 12 months of the year. Motorised use is prohibited.
Passes are available for purchase at Fernie Alpine Resort’s Guest Services counter for $5. If you purchase a day ticket or multi-day ticket, the multiuse trail system is included for the date shown on your ticket.
If you require more information, please call us on 250-423-2435.
See you on the trails!
FAR Team
Pride Month in Fernie
It’s Pride Month, and here in Fernie, we love to celebrate LGBTQIA2S+! 🌈
Fernie has come a long way with its support of Pride. In 2016, the Fernie Pride Society was established, and it didn’t take long for the community to show their support. From the painting of rainbow crosswalks across town, the monthly Ears for Peers event, to the week-long Elk Valley Pride Festival held every year in September (best week ever!), it is inspiring to see people of all ages, genders, and sexualities coming together in support of each other.
This month, the Fernie Pride Society has a full schedule of online events:
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Photo by Vince Mo
June 7th, at 10 am, is Drag Story and Craft Time with the one and only, Freida Whales. Head to the Fernie Pride or Fernie Heritage Library Facebook page to participate.
- On June 14th, the magical rainbow crosswalks will be repainted onto the corner of 3rd Ave and 5th St (next to the Post Office/Library). This year, they are keeping the painting party small, but please reach out to Fernie Pride on their Facebook page if you would like to volunteer your time. These crosswalks have become a wonderful addition to Fernie’s downtown. Make sure you stop by to check them out.
- On the 3rd Thursday of every month is Ears for Peers (via Zoom). Ears for Peers is a safe peer-to-peer place for conversation, support, gathering and more. This month it is on June 17, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. The zoom link will be posted on their Facebook page leading up to the event.
- Later in June, Fernie Pride will be hosting (via Zoom) their popular Rainbow Connections event. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for more information coming soon!
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Photo via Fernie Pride Society
Continue celebrating pride through art by downloading this fantastic Day of Pink colouring page featuring Fernie Pride’s President, Kevin Allen. You can find it here. It is a part of Day of Pink’s latest colouring book that can be found here. This colouring book shares the stories of trans and queer folks who are creating safer spaces, celebrating our community, and advancing human rights. Learn about our past, present, and future while enjoying the art of colouring.
New events are continuously being added, so please show your support and follow the Fernie Pride Society on Facebook to join in on the fun.
Photo by Vinco Mo
If you are looking to support Fernie Pride Society’s initiatives, please donate to their membership drive, which is happening all month long. When you purchase a membership (only $20 for 3 years), you are supporting an essential local organization and helping them secure support and funding for some great programming and initiatives, which will continue to benefit the community. Get your membership here.
Pride month is when we celebrate diversity and LGBTQIA2S+ communities, acknowledge their history, the hardships they have endured, and the progress made. Fernie is a community full of strong Allies who really help make a difference. Let’s all fly the rainbow flag and show that EVERYONE is welcome in Fernie.
Thank You for a Great Winter!
Hello Everyone!
And with that, our winter season has come to an end.
The 2020-21 winter was a unique one, to say the least. We are so happy that we had the opportunity to open and that you, our valued guests, were offered 123 days of skiing and riding.
Thank you for your patience and understanding this season. Thank you for following all of our safety protocols and respecting our staff and each other.
We all worked hard to get to the end of the season, and it was the combined efforts of our community, our staff and our guests that successfully got us here. We are grateful and hope that all of this translated to a great winter season for you and your family.
We are getting geared up for our Early Bird Winter Pass Sale for 21/22 – keep an eye on our website and social media for details!
Stay safe. Enjoy our wonderful outdoors, and we hope to see you on the mountain soon!
Andy Cohen & the Fernie Alpine Resort Team
Announcing our Winter 20/21 Bonus Week!
OPENING DAY – DECEMBER 10TH!
FERNIE ALPINE RESORT ANNOUNCES OPENING FOR WINTER SEASON 2020/21!
Fernie Alpine Resort will open for skiing & snowboarding on December 10th, 2020 at 9 am.
Our team has worked tirelessly to prepare our operations for your arrival, and we are looking forward to kicking off the 2020/21 skiing and riding season. While we all share the joy for sliding on snow, this season will look different. We have put in place a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan developed in collaboration with the Canada West Ski Area Association.
This set of rigorous procedures and operating plans is to help ensure our guests, staff and community have a safe winter in Fernie. Our plans have been reviewed by Interior Health, the Elk Valley Hospital and they lead the way in North America for Best Practices for Winter Operations 2020/21.
We understand that many of us in our community feel the uncertainty of this pandemic. We recognize that opening the resort will make some of us anxious and stressed. That is why it is everyone’s responsibility to follow the guidelines that we have put in place, as we all want a long season, and a safe skiing and riding experience.
Due to our safety protocols surrounding the COVID Virus and looking to create a safe environment for our guests, this season we will be closely monitoring lift capacity and ticket sales to help ensure that we can manage daily the number of people at Fernie Alpine Resort. Day lift tickets will be available at our resort ticket windows daily. On high demand days, only a certain number of day tickets will be sold – so one should use the opportunity to pre-purchase your lift tickets online to guarantee you get the ski day’s you want on those days. We do anticipate some periods of higher demand, so to avoid disappointment, it is recommended that you pre-purchase your lift tickets online and in advance as some dates may sell out.
Skiing and snowboarding provide a much-needed outlet in winter, providing mind and body benefit, and we are looking forward to sharing our wide-open spaces with each of you.
To adapt our operations for this winter, we have made many changes, including the following:
1. Masks are required to be worn throughout the entire resort, inside all buildings, in lift lines, while riding lifts, in shuttle buses, parking lots and our Plaza.
2. Reservations are required to dine in any of our indoor restaurants.
3. We have eliminated all outdoor shelters and gathering places, like the fireplace at Bear’s Den, Slopeside Café Patio, Yurts, etc.
4. Our lift loading procedures will ensure physical distancing.
5. We have eliminated touch points in systems and transactions.
6. We have eliminated bag storage in all buildings.
7. Seasonal lockers will be for ski/snowboard storage only, no boots or clothing.
8. Our teams are required to be fully outfitted in masks with filters, shields where needed, and Plexiglas barriers to protect all.
9. Dining spaces will be separated by Plexiglas where needed.
10. Washrooms will have reduced capacity to ensure no crowding.
11. Childcare will not be offered.
This season will look very different. By following these procedures and with your patience and respect, we will have a snowy, fun ski & snowboard season.
Please take the time to read the Know Before You Go section on our website for more information and any updates – https://skifernie.com/covid-19/winter/.
Please keep in mind that early season conditions do exist on the mountain. Take your time and continue to pray for snow.
Thank you!
- Published in Blog, Fernie, Press Releases, Winter
Culvert City
If you follow us on any of our social media platforms, then you will see all that our Resort has to offer through the summer and winter months. What you don’t always see is all of the work that goes in behind the scenes to make it happen.
We have a lot of Crews – Trail Crew, Bike Trail Crew, Lift Ops Crew, Lift Maintenance Crew, Saw Crew, Brush Crew, Shop Crew, Patrol Crew – who all work together through the summer and fall to make it all come together.
This summer, our Trail Crew, who are the Swiss Army Knife of employees (they can do anything that’s needed on the mountain), have replaced the old wooden culverts with sparkly (👈 my word, not theirs 😉) new ones.
This culvert at the bottom of Lower Bear at the Boomerang Chair was installed in 1984.
HISTORY LESSON – Back in the ’80s, to make a culvert the Trail Crew used their only machine, the skidder. They would find a couple of the huge old Larch trees (24″-36″ diameter) that were lying around in the forest and lay those along either side of the creek.
They would then place timber – mostly from Cedar trees (12″-16″ diameter) – across the Larch to cover the creek. They had a gin pole rigged on the back of the skidder so that they could pick the trees up and back them into place.
Along with a peavy, and some brute force, they could build a bridge over the creeks that would then be buried with dirt. Most of these culverts lasted about 30 years before the top logs began to fail.
That brings us to this past summer; it was noticed that the culvert near the Boom Chair was starting to fail, so our team went in, dug the whole section up, and replaced it with a new one. No trees were harmed in the making of this culvert.
One of the biggest changes happening at the resort is going down in lower Currie Bowl. This past spring, May 31st to be exact, we had very heavy rainfall that followed some very hot weather, and a consequential mudslide in Currie Bowl. As the debris flowed down, it damaged and plugged multiple culverts. Our Trail Crew, along with assistance from Fiorentino Bros and Ground Tech Engineering were able to get in there to repair the culverts.
Turning adversity into improvements, the spring mudslide remediation enabled us to improve the exit from Currie Bowl and widen the Gilmar trail.
From 👈 to 👉 with wonderful assistance from Fiorentino Bros and Ground Tech Engineering.
As we move closer to winter, we will continue to bring you updates from around the resort, and the work that goes in before we can open our doors lifts.
