Articles about Fernie and Fernie Alpine Resort Summer
FAR Trail Crew Update #1
Rise and Shine, it’s nearly Legendary Summer time!
Our initial attack crews have been on the trails for one week now surveying the spring melt and starting to buff out some of your favourite rides. The snowline is still quite low on the mountain promising a delayed upper Timber-side bike trail opening this year but we are looking in good shape for a full Elk and lower Timber opening for June 24th, 2017.
This week Top Gun has had a total machine rebuff from top to bottom. We have also rebuilt a few nagging corners on mid-Mr. Berms and the Deer Trail. The Saw Crew has been busy clearing downed trees and summer trail signs are starting to go up! We would like to remind public to stay off the resort trails until opening day as much of our work needs time to set up in addition to large amounts of industrial activity, such as tree falling and lift maintenance work, occurring across the mountain.
See you in a few short weeks!
FAR Trail Crew
Live Rail Painting – Call for Artists!
CALLING ALL LOCAL ARTISTS
…Fernie Alpine Resort is looking for an Elk Valley artist to feature their artwork on one of our terrain park rail features. The artist will be part of a “Live Painting Event” on Saturday, June 24th in the main plaza. Interested artists must submit their concept sketch by Sunday, June 18th at 5pm (MST). A panel will decide the winning design and notify the artist by 5pm (MST) on June 19th. Full details on the application and submission parameters can be found below. The winning artist will receive a prize plus exposure opportunities.
For full details, click here
- Published in Fernie, Press Releases, Summer, Winter
Why My Preferred Ride in Fernie is a Bike Ride
I didn’t discover mountain biking until my mid-twenties. While Fernie’s epic trail network, both in town and at Fernie Alpine Resort had yet to be developed in my youth, mountain biking has become such an integral part of Fernie it’s difficult to remember it any other way.
After graduating, the lure to come home was strong. I spent every possible moment in Fernie and noticed a big change during the summer months. Bikes… they were everywhere. I decided to take a friend up on an offer to go for a ride. That friend was Emily Brydon, and she decided Verboten was great way to start (a Black Diamond at the top of Red Tree Road just off the ski hill.) A group of us rode from Timberline Village, and I was mesmerized as we crossed bowls I had only seen on skis. This feeling quickly shifted to fear and defeat as we made our way down the technical trail.
A few years later, I moved home and decided to park my car and buy a mountain bike. It was 2006, and while I still had a tremendous amount of fear, I just couldn’t get it out of my head. I fell in with a fantastic group of women who supported and pushed me and were integral to me falling in love with the sport. In August of that summer, I watched in awe as rider after rider crossed the finish line of the TransRockies and thought… I’m going to do this one day. And I did.
While I love the accomplishment of finishing a race, I get the same feeling nearly every day riding in Fernie. Trail development and enhancement has meant new entry level and flow trails are available, along with more challenging and technical rides and everything in between. I love this about mountain biking. It allows everyone to test themselves whatever age, level or style of rider, and in turn can expose them to a side of themselves they may have long forgotten or didn’t know existed. The same goes for Fernie – it never saw itself as a summer destination, but mountain biking has sure shown us something different.
I bike a lot, from the first trails to show themselves in the spring, to the last trails to be covered in the fall. Typically during the week I stick to trails in town for the ease of a quick early morning or evening ride just out the door. A favourite loop is Hyperventilation to Hyper Extension, and slipping into Ridgemont to finish on Oh Dear if there’s time. But on any given Sunday I can be found in Mount Fernie Provincial Park, heading to Fernie Alpine Resort via Old Goat and Mega Hurtz or the newly revitalized Ben Emmett. From there, I catch a lift and laugh and giggle all the way down beautifully manicured trails like Duff Dynasty, Top Gun and Eville. And on the way home, I always climb my way to Verboten for the final descent, and remember how times have changed. For the better.
FERNIE ALPINE RESORT CELEBRATES 3 MOUNTAIN HOSTS: 25 years of service for GLENN, LYALL & WALLY!
Fernie Alpine Resort was proud to honour 3 of our dedicated Mountain Hosts with long-term service awards this past winter. Glenn Sedgwick, Lyall Mahan and Wally Pfeifer have been 3 of the friendly faces that have been welcoming and assisting our guests for the past 25 years. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and congratulations to Glenn, Lyall and Wally!
Meet our amazing volunteers, who are out there in all weather conditions helping visitors to enjoy their mountain experience to its fullest!
GLENN SEDGWICK
“We moved to Fernie in 1989 as a result of a 3 year loan assignment from the Calgary Imperial Oil office to Byron Creek Collieries. Like so many others we loved Fernie so much we decided to stay here and raise our boys. Skiing and the outdoors was a great attraction for us, so in 1991 I joined the Volunteer Ski Patrol (CSPS) at the Fernie ski hill, then known as Fernie Snow Valley. Things have changed a lot since those early days. The ski hill consisted of only the Lizard and Cedar Bowls. The pro-patrol was small, about 6 people and the CSPS were responsible for the majority of the first aid work on the weekends. The Bear T-bar and Facelift serviced the upper mountain. The only way out of Cedar bowl was Cedar trail. During this period I also coached minor hockey and baseball. My wife Jeanette was enjoying the Fernie Host program, so in early 2000’s I joined too. I enjoyed touring and helping guests and proudly showing off our great mountain. I still love being a host, meeting and greeting people and enjoying the comradery of the host crew and it provides a break from my normal day job. It is great to get out of the house, enjoy the fresh air and get a little exercise. Maybe once retirement kicks in, I will be able to spend more time on this great mountain. “
LYALL MAHAN
“I originally came from the Saskatchewan flatland (Melfort), served 10 years with the Canadian Air Force, and then moved to Hinton, Alberta. While living in Hinton I was introduced to skiing at Marmot Basin. We moved to Fernie in 1981 but I didn’t take skiing seriously until I retired from Shell’s Line Creek mine. Retirement was cut short when Heiko Socher recruited me to do maintenance at the Griz Inn Hotel. This ski environment jump started my enthusiasm for skiing. Volunteering as a ski ambassador while at the hotel and with the Mountain Host program has been a rewarding experience as I enjoy promoting our ski hill to guests from around the world. “
WALLY PFEIFER
“I moved to the quaint little town of Fernie in May 1979. Before moving to Fernie, I merely skied a couple times, skiing behind a ski-doo on cross-country skis.
I seriously started to downhill ski when the three daughters were fairly young (ages 7 to 9 years old) when they joined the Nancy Greene Program which was in the mid-80’s. Around about the same time, I also joined the Mine Rescue at Westar Mining where I worked. In 1990, I joined the Canadian Ski Patrol Program. In that first weekend of Ski Patrol, I administered more first-aid than I had done in five years on the Mine Rescue Program at the mine. I continued with the Patrol Program until 1997 which credited me with 7 years of volunteering with them.
The following winter I joined the ski-host pro-gram & presently am still a ski-host. My 25 years of volunteering seemed to have gone by way too fast. The glory years of ski-hosting was when we inter-acted with the guest by giving them 4 hours of touring the mountain; 2 hours in the morning on the old side of the mountain and 2 hours on the new side of the mountain in the afternoon. You knew when you did a good job when you seen all the smiles on the guest’s faces. Many of the toured guests came back year after year, became friends and some even retired and moved here. And, now some of them are the ski-hosts.
I will continue with the ski-host program well into the future. Now, I am the Duty Host for our Thursday Group. Come and say Hi. Thanks!”
This summer will be the debut of an epic camping experience in British Columbia, the first of its kind in North America! Sleep among the stars and wake up to spectacular alpine views near the top of the Timber Chair and Fernie’s famous mountaintop restaurant, the Lost Boys Café.
Our camping package includes your lift ticket, campsite, guided hike, delicious raclette dinner, s’mores by the campfire, and breakfast. Top quality tents from Northface are also available to rent. Camping is offered on Saturday nights starting on July 16th!
Pricing
Adult – $149.99*
Youth – $49.99*
Family (2 adults & up to 2 youth) – $349.99*
Children 5 & under are free
Northface tent rentals
Optional tent rental fee – $20*
Sizes available include –2, 3, 4 & 6 man
To book your Lost Boys Camping Experience, call 250-423-2435.
Your camping experience starts at 4:00 pm at base of the Timber Chair, then it’s up the lift to your camping area to set up your campsites (hosts are available to assist). After a guided hike you’ll enjoy a raclette dinner at Lost Boys Cafe followed by S’mores by the campfire. The next morning after breakfast at Lost Boys Cafe and camp clean up make your way back down the chairlift or feel free to explore the mountain more by hiking and sightseeing.
More information about hiking at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Photos by Nicole Matei
*Add taxes
New this summer in our rental shop, located in the Fernie Adventure Centre, we’ll have SCOTT Genius 750 cross country bikes available. To see the trails (marked in purple) surrounding the mountain check out our online trail map and for more information regarding trails around Fernie, B.C visit the Tourism Fernie website or the Fernie Mountain Bike Club’s website.
- Published in Summer
We’re proud to be recipients of the 2016 TripAdvisor Award of Excellence. Now in its sixth year, the achievement celebrates hospitality businesses that have earned great traveler reviews on TripAdvisor over the past year. Certificate of Excellence recipients include accommodations, eateries and attractions located all over the world that have continually delivered a quality customer experience.
Thank you for your great reviews and helping Fernie Alpine Resort receive this prestigious award!
View our reviews or leave your own on our TripAdvisor page.
1) Lost Boys Lookout at Fernie Alpine Resort
How to get there: Ride the Timber Chair to the top and walk a short distance past Lost Boys Café over to the Lost Boys Lookout
What you’ll see: Amazing landscapes of the surrounding peaks of the mountains and of the town of Fernie below.
2) Eagle’s Eye at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
How to get there: Ride the Eagles Express Gondola from the Plaza to the summit, step outside and see the Eagle’s Eye Restaurant walkway in front of you
What you’ll see: Spectacular views of 6 National parks surrounding the resort (and eat a delicious meal as well).
3) Kimberley, B.C – Lois Creek Trails
How to get there: Parking is available at Centennial Hall. To enter Lois Creek Trails go to either the North End of trail Street, the intersection of 8th and Elko Street or at Centennial Hall at the old Legion Tracks.
What you’ll see: Gorgeous mountain vistas and a variety of wildlife along the trails.
Photo Alpenglow BnB
4) Lizard Lookout at Fernie Alpine Resort
How to get there: Ride the Elk Chair to the top and walk a short distance into Lizard Bowl
What you’ll see: Stunning views of the Elk River & town of Fernie
5) Via Ferrata at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort – The Ultimate Mountain View
How to get there: Ride the Eagles Express Gondola from the Plaza to the summit, step outside and proceed to Eagle’s Eye, look for the tent to meet up with your guide and group. Once everyone is there you’ll do some training and head right over to the suspension bridge taking you to the Terminator Peak for the climb of your life!
What you’ll see: If you’re brave enough to turn around and take a look behind you’ll see a stunning stretch of mountains while hanging off the Terminator Peak including 6 National parks, the resort below you and Eagle’s Eye Restaurant off in the distance.
Main photo – Lost Boys Lookout, Fernie Alpine Resort
- Published in Summer
Fernie Summer Opening Day Info!
Fernie Alpine Resort Trail Crew Update #3
June 26, 2015
The Hustle & Flow
Twenty-Four hours and counting. That’s it. One rotation of the Earth around the sun until we hand over the keys to you Loam Rangers for another Legendary Summer at Fernie Alpine Resort. The full Trail Crew team officially all started back at work two weeks ago and we’ve been hustling ever since to make sure you have some flow on opening day – Saturday June 27th.
When spring started, we thought we had Mother Nature backed into the corner and the fight won. Well, she came charging right back at us throwing a knockout combination right to the kisser. That unseasonably warm and dry weather we fought all winter has continued to linger through the region, providing us with some challenging conditions to work with this spring. Usually at this time of year, we are lucky if we can drive up the Timber Side, let alone open it for biking. There is likely snow still to shovel out of shaded trails like Hollow Tree and Boom Trail, conditions are tacky, if not full-on greasy. This year, the crew has already summited Polar Peak to install the hiking trail signage (boot skiing still possible!), days have been spent weed whacking shoulder high alder to improve sight lines on every trail, and we have already had to water trails just to complete basic dirt work. With much still to do, and little time write about it, here are a few key things you need to know before hopping on the lift…
- June 27 & 28th is going to be an awesome weekend to be in Fernie, BC. The Bike Park opens for the season, the Roll & Sole Trails Fest is taking over town, and the Fernie 3 mountain bike race is happening everywhere in between.
- It is going to be hot. Like surface of the sun hot… at a forecasted 36C. Drink water.
- There is a lot of new stuff happening in the Bike Park. Please start off your summer with a slow inspection lap. You will have to do a little exploring to find all our work but some of the key changes include:
– fresh dirt work on upper Rumplestumpkin, Eville, Duff Dynasty, and Mr. Berms
– Phase 1 of our new trail Neverland will be open (watch for the sign on lower Rumplestumpskin)
– New exit of Will Power at the Bear Load
– Upper Big Rig has been widened
– The Phat Larry’s and Holo Bike entrance has been adjusted and a pull out lane added
– Top Gun has a few new berms and jumps (more to come!)
– Hollow Tree has had a few select corners changed and some of the braided trails on the lower section closed to reduce the environmental damage occurring from those riders looking to choose their own adventure through the forest
– New exit of Bike Thief at the bottom of Currie Bowl. Please also note that Canada Cup DH will be closed for opening weekend (major reno including new jump line in the works).
- Our Bike Crew will be on hand to answer any questions or to point you in the right direction this weekend. Please come talk to us…we are here to help and we would love to fill you in on some of the other great projects we have in store this summer! That being said…please expect fast, dry and loose conditions throughout the mountain. Choose your speed and trails accordingly.
See you in a few hours,
Your Fernie Alpine Resort Bike Crew
The Fernie 3, the ultimate all-mountain three-day classic mountain bike stage race, offers something for everybody from June 27th to 29th. The Fernie 3 is being held on Fernie’s spectacular singletrack mountain bike trails on the pre-Canada Day weekend and the organizers work to offer events for all riders.
The Fernie 3 caters to riders of all ages, both new and old, beginners and gnarled veterans alike–with focus on fun on the best singletrack stages ever. The categories will feature a traditional three day solo stage race however will also include a one day solo, a youth race for U13 and U16, and a bike rally for U9.
Fernie Mountain Bike Club members get a 15% discount–ask for the code. Register now to be part of this amazing event!
More information & registration.
