American Values in the land of Canada
If Americans have a cultural stereotype about Canada, it’s that we’re a land of ice and snow inhabited by “Eskimos” and policed by red-coated Mounties on horseback. (The Mounties drive in police cars and they have the same tools as cops in America… and the Eskimos, well, they are actually called Inuit, and live much closer to the North Pole).
But Canadians certainly do celebrate winter, and of course, skiing and snowboarding. Our resorts – though perhaps not quite as familiar or accessible as Vail or Tahoe — compare favourably in every way. Whistler, of course, is the most widely-known—the resort hosted the 2010 Winter Games alpine skiing events—and it’s continuously ranked highly amongst the (mostly) American readers in SKI Magazine’s annual resort poll. And Banff/Lake Louise are on the radar map—though most Americans (like Canadians) visit there in the summer months.
Resorts of the Canadian Rockies believes that the best discoveries in skiing are the unexpected ones—and, like siblings, their three resorts—namely, Fernie Alpine Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort—offer a rootsy, authentic Canadian ambiance that makes each of them worth visiting—even on one trip.
Perched above a historic mining town that still relies on nearby natural resources, FERNIE ALPINE RESORT is all about powder and adventure. Poking skyward like a giant baseball mitt, the rugged Lizard range hauls in over 35 feet of legendary Rocky Mountain fluff annually and attracts freeriders from all over the world. If you’re lucky, you’ll be in town during the raucous Griz Days celebration that celebrates the mythic mountain man who makes it snow. Independent “non-chain” stores and restaurants thrive in the red-brick building main street of historic Fernie, once named the “Coolest Town in North America” by Rolling Stone magazine. Indeed, many Americans who visit here comment on how much it’s “like Telluride or Aspen used to be.”
Legendary Terrain at Fernie Alpine Resort
KICKING HORSE MOUNTAIN RESORT west of Golden is a true “big mountain” experience, with 1,260 metres (4,133 feet) of vertical—fourth-highest in North America. Compared by those in the know to American resorts like Jackson Hole and Squaw Valley, Kicking Horse boasts 121 runs, four alpine bowls and 85 inbound chutes spread across 2,800+ acres of skiable terrain. No stay at Kicking Horse is complete without a visit to Canada’s most elevated restaurant: Eagle’s Eye Restaurant, a mountain-top, fine-dining experience. Four mountain ranges come together to create a mountain panorama that’s second to none.
Big Mountain Experience at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Nestled in the majestic Purcell Mountains in BC’s southeastern corner, KIMBERLEY ALPINE RESORT receives more hours of sunshine than any other resort in the province. Its 80 runs range from open glades to gentle cruisers to thigh-burning bump runs. Dive into the Easter Bowl on the mountain’s backside or enjoy Kimberley’s front side cruising. Kimberley even offers Canada’s longest night skiing/riding terrain. Stay slope-side and ski from your door in the morning or enjoy the charming Bavarian-themed town just down the hill. Kimberley compares favourably to the family friendly vibe found at Snowmass, Keystone, or The Canyons—with a superb ski school and perhaps the most high-value vacation packages in North America.
Sunny Kimberley Alpine Resort
Thanks to Canada’s devalued currency, Americans considering a ski vacation north of the 49th parallel receive a thirty percent discount, before they even start shopping for the best deals of lifts, accommodation, and lessons. “Our close proximity to the United States means that Fernie and Kimberley have always had visits from keen skiers in border states—folks who live in Whitefish, Kalispell, Sandpoint, and Spokane,” says “Powder Matt” Mosteller, spokesperson for the Resorts of the Canadian Rockies. Holidays at Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, Martin Luther King Day, President’s Week and even Easter attract skiers and riders from a wider net, including Seattle, the Bay Area, Los Angeles and even major Midwestern and eastern cities.
And there are a few other differences. Take money, for example. Canadians use the same dollars and cents system that Americans have, but your wallet won’t be budging with one-dollar bills if you ask for change for a five. Canadians have “loonie” and “toonie” one-dollar and two dollar coins. Different denominations of dollars ($5, $10, $20, $50 and $100) are in different colours (and some words, such as ‘colour’ have an extra ‘u’ in them – don’t ask.) Gas (and all liquids) are priced in liters – $1.20 per liter equals about $4.00 per gallon of gasoline.
Snow depth is measured in centimeters (doesn’t “thirty centimeters” sound deeper than “eleven inches”?). And the outside temperature is in degrees Celsius. Don’t freak out if the temperature is minus 5, that’s only 23 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect skiing temperature.
Oddly, some things are the same. If you ask the bartender for a pint of beer, he’ll pour you a 12 ounce glass. And if you need anything else, just ask! To dispel another myth—not all of us speak French, (and we actually say ‘a-bout’, not ‘a-boot).’
Welcome to Canada, partner. Your powder is waiting.
Words: Steven Threndyle
Photos: Raven Eye Photography, Vince Mo, Brooke Wilson, Abbydell Photography
- Published in Blog
Fall Season Pass Sale Until October 15th
It’s your last chance of the year to save on season ski passes and multi week Winter Sports School programs. Our Fall Season Pass sale is on until October 15th, make sure to order your pass before it’s over to save!
Multi week Winter Sports School programs are available for children as well as adults and all season passes come with over 20 member benefits including discounts on resort services, savings on food and beverage, free sticker, lanyard and more.
- Published in Blog
Fernie: Why this Small Town is Just Right
I like to take videos from the bedroom window of my Fernie house and email them to friends in Ontario. I’m a jerk like that. I start by focusing out over the forest, spectacular in a new way every season. I scan along the peaks of the Lizard Range out to the world-famous cat skiing operation Island Lake Lodge, and then I pop over to Mount Fernie, its green glory so impossibly close it seems I could reach out and touch it. I like to end the video with a bang by panning to the magnificent rock faces of the Three Sisters. Usually, I caption these videos with something witty and profound, like:
Fernie, BC: It’s Not Ugly
This is gloating at its worst. Look where I woke up today! Just LOOK! It’s as if I have to capture this natural splendor on video and present it to an envious audience in order to believe it myself.
I remember my first trip to Fernie in 1996. I took a picture of a friend in the Overwaitea parking lot, toque over her straggly hair, Mount Fernie towering behind her, the sky alive with a deep pink alpenglow. “Even grocery shopping is beautiful in Fernie,” I’d said. “I’ll never get sick of this view.”
Twenty years later, I can confirm: I never have.
Plus I’ve learned that it’s the kind of view that calls people out into it. I’ve stood atop each of those peaks that I showcase in my video. I’ve skied those runs.
When I’m at my happiest in Fernie’s terrain, skiing down Red Tree in powder to my waist say, I always think of my Swedish friend Åsa, her cheeks red with cold, her eyelashes full of snowflakes, her smile vast: “You are so lucky to live here!”
Åsa says the thing she loves best about Fernie is the activity. When Fernie friends get together, it’s not just to do coffee or have lunch or drink wine. It’s to ski or hike or bike. We get out into that view. We live it with our whole bodies.
But there are other pretty mountain towns with active residents. What makes Fernie the right one? When National Geographic’s “digital nomad” Andrew Evans came through town, he fixated on The Bean Pod and the high-quality chocolate products offered by owners James and Mary Heavy. The intricacies of the chocolatier process fascinated Andrew. He was also hooked, I think, on the family’s story of leaving Ireland and traveling the world to find just the right home for their product. Their quest for the best place to build the only bean-to-bar company in Canada led to this specific town of 5000 in the Canadian Rockies.
Though the particulars of the Heavy-family story are unique, the gist is common. People choose Fernie. They work to get here. They bring what they love. They live their passion. The shops lining Fernie’s main street – not a Gap or a Lululemon among them – reflect that character, that love. And if on especially snowy mornings, I find those shops locked-up and bearing POWDER DAY! GONE SKIING! signs, I understand. The signs remind me: yes, this small town is just right.
Photos: Henry Georgi
Pack your bags and embark on a region aptly named the Powder Highway!
Imagine arriving at a crossroads and finding a sign that reads Powder Highway. What would you do? Well, you’d take that road, of course. Say it once or twice out loud. “Powder Highway.” It has an alluring sound, doesn’t it? A sort of “I dare you not to drive it,” quality that spells road trip.
There are few things I enjoy more than loading skis into the roof box, packing a change of long underwear, extra gloves and toques, bags of chips and whatever other road trip indulgences you desire, then hitting the highway. The Powder Highway cuts through the Canadian Rockies and Columbia Mountains, a region of such staggering density in skiing and snowboarding opportunities, be it resort, cat, heli and backcountry, that you’ll be struck with an option paralysis of the favorable kind; a too-much-of-a-good-thing problem that we skiers and boarders love to have. Assemble your favorite winter superlatives – steep, deep, blower, big vert, cruisy, epic, etcetera – and that pretty much sums up the Powder Highway.
At Fernie Alpine Resort, the lifts service five alpine bowls in the legendary Lizard Range of the Canadian Rockies blessed with snow as light as the down in your puffy jacket.
Legendary Terrain at Fernie Alpine Resort
Kimberley Alpine Resort, a little off the beaten track, has always been a breeding ground of ski racing talent with its fall line groomers and spacious terrain.
Spacious Kimberley Alpine Resort
At Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, the Eagle Express Gondola shuttles skiers and boarders to the top of the Dogtooth Range in the Purcell Mountains in a more than 4000 vertical foot butterflies-in-the-stomach ascent. From the top terminal, choose your adventure. A cruisy top to bottom groomer that will have the legs burning, or perhaps a boot pack to the top of Feuz Bowl or T1 followed by a drop into a spicy 45 alpine chute.
Leg burning run at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort
Then there are the towns, archetypal ski communities. Not cookie cutter prefab creations but towns with heart and history.
Fernie, with its main street lined in heritage buildings, steeped in the tradition of 19th century mining, where skiing has a long history dating back more than 50 years. Kimberley and its quaint Bavarian motif, also oozing with colourful mining and pioneering history.
View of the resort from historic downtown Fernie
And Golden near the confluence of the Kicking Horse and mighty Columbia River and at the foot of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, where a tradition of mountain adventure has its roots in the golden era of railroading in Canada when Swiss guides arrived in the late 1800’s to explore the vast wildness of Canada’s mountains, many of them settling in and around Golden.
A Golden view in Golden, B.C
While a love of skiing will lead you to the Powder Highway, the towns, real mountain towns full of real mountain people, will steal a piece of your heart. On a rest day, after exploring between Fernie and Kimberley, drive up the beautiful Columbia Valley, next to frozen lakes and wetlands that spring to life in summer. Pull into the HQ of legendary Kicking Horse Coffee in Invermere, where the smell of roasting beans drifts in the air. Fill up with a mug of Kick Ass coffee, relax, and dream about the turns and terrain that awaits at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. A little further north, slip into Radium Hot Springs, and watch wild Big Horn Sheep scale the surrounding cliffs. How many more reasons do you need to explore the Powder Highway? Next step – pack your ski bags, load the vehicle and hit the road – your idea of the perfect winter road trip will be changed forever!
Words: Andrew Findlay
Photos: Love Street Media, Raven Eye Photography, Antoine Caron Cabana, Henry Georgi & Tourism Golden
I remember weekend ski trips to Fernie with great fondness but up until recently we hadn’t ventured beyond local hills near Calgary. I guess we thought that a big ski resort like Fernie would be intimidating as a family, that there wouldn’t be enough beginner terrain to ski, or that it was just unnecessary to travel three hours to go skiing when we had Nakiska Ski Area on our doorstep. On all accounts I was wrong and we’re already talking about how we have to go back to Fernie next winter (if not sooner) – and oh please let it be sooner!
Fernie Alpine Resort is located approximately three hours away from Calgary and is reached via a scenic drive through the Crowsnest Pass as you cross the border into British Columbia. Heading to Fernie is extremely doable for a normal two-day weekend with an after-work departure on Friday. It’s even realistic to arrive in Fernie in time to put the kids to bed at their normal bedtime. (To save time, pack or buy dinner to eat on the road so that you don’t have to stop along the way.)
While you can easily find a motel in downtown Fernie, we were able to stay right on the hill on our recent trip and we might be forever changed in how 
we plan future ski trips. We had comfortable ski in/ski out lodging at the Lizard Creek Lodge, located right at the base of the Elk Chair (a great chair lift for novice skiers.) We had a one-bedroom condo at Lizard Creek that had a pull out sofa in the living room, making it plenty spacious for our family of three. Our condo had a full kitchen (making breakfasts super easy to prepare before hitting the slopes) and we had a very comfortable living area with fireplace and television (should we have wanted one.)
This was our first time enjoying ski in/ski out accommodations and a mom could get used to such luxury! There was no driving to the hill in the morning, no sharing a crowded day lodge at lunch time, and no dilemma over what to do when one of us grew tired of skiing mid-afternoon (while other family members still wanted to do more runs.)
A typical day at Fernie with on-hill accommodations could look a lot like this (based on our personal experience):
- 8:00am – Enjoying a relaxed breakfast in the newly renovated “Cirque” restaurant in the main building of the Lizard Creek Lodge.
- 9:00am – In line and ready to head up the Deer or Elk Chair with the kids (both fantastic for novice skiers with plenty of green runs to choose from)
- 10:30am – Back to Lizard Creek Lodge to warm up and grab coffee in front of the fireplace in the main lodge (no crowded day lodge for us!)
- 11:00am – Heading up the Great Bear Chair to try some more challenging family terrain
- 1:00pm – Back to our condo for lunch and a bit of R&R before heading back out for more afternoon skiing on some bigger chairlifts (bring granola bars in your pockets so you can postpone lunch a bit later in the day)
- 2:00pm – Heading up the Timber Chair to try out the “Falling Star” run (one of the easiest intermediate runs on the hill)
- 3:00pm – Younger kids done for the day and heading to the outdoor swimming pool and hot tub at Lizard Creek with Mom, also tired. Older children and teens could still be skiing strong. In our case, Dad skiing hard till the hill closed
- 4:00pm – Quiet time back at the condo, games, books, and relaxation before dinner. This could also be a good time to try some cross country skiing or snowshoeing on the resort trails. (Something I tried out Sunday morning.) Alternately, it’s a great time to head back to “Cirque” for drinks and appies in front of the fireplace
- 5:00pm – Heading for an early dinner at Kelsey’s over at the main resort area (they had great kids’ meals and it was a bit more family-friendly than the more decadent “Cirque” restaurant in our lodge
- 6:30pm – Night skiing on the Mighty Moose Lift (open Saturday nights from 4-9pm and included with your day lift ticket at FAR)
- 7:30 – Trying out the new Ice bar in the Lizard Creek Lodge for some Vodka tastings (make sure you try the salted caramel – yum!!) – and kids are welcome to come in and watch
- 8:30pm – Kids heading to bed ,watching a movie, having down time in the condo… – adults enjoying a glass of wine in front of the condo fireplace
(and our condo had two televisions so in theory, the kids could be watching a movie in the bedroom while Mom and Dad chill in front of the fireplace)
We had a blast at Fernie Alpine Resort and we were pleasantly surprised at how much beginner terrain there was at the hill! We 
could have easily skied on the Deer and Elk chairs all day with a couple runs down the Great Bear Chair and Timber Chair for more challenge. The terrain off the lower chairs was immaculately groomed and perfect for novice skiers, with Falling Star off Timber also nicely groomed (I headed here first thing Sunday morning for the most amazing experience flying down the fresh corduroy on my own private run – not another skier in site on the whole run.)
We’re heading to Kimberly Alpine Resort soon and can’t wait to try out another great family-friendly ski resort with ski in/ski out accommodations again. Fernie has changed our ski style as a family and it’s doubtful we’ll be satisfied to spend every weekend skiing close to home anymore. Ski weekends bring the family together and we look forward to more mini-vacations like this in the years to come.
Words & Photos by Tanya Koob
Read about her and her families outdoors adventures on her blog – Rockies Family Adventures.
Snow goggles are an important piece of your gear and they become even more vital in shifting light conditions, at high speeds and with gusting winds.
Fernie Alpine Resort can see a great variety of weather conditions, from snow storms to flat light and sometimes changing from overcast to bluebird during the course of a day.
We spoke with Field Reps from Oakley and Smith, two of the brands that we carry in our retail shop, to find out what they suggested when picking the perfect pair of goggles.
Reilly Forster (R.F.) is a Field Marketing Rep for Oakley and Matthew Rowley (M.R.) is a Field Services Rep for Smith.
Why are goggles necessary?
R.F. – Goggles are necessary to keep the elements out of your face so you can have a fun day at the hill.
M.R. – To help you see on the flat light days that Fernie is very accustomed to getting. To help you see those little ruts and bumps ’cause sometimes it can be tough to tell them apart from a nice groomed run.
How do you pick the right goggles?
R.F. – You definitely want to make sure you have a full gasket seal around the face, and comfort’s number one. Different models with different fits because everyone’s got different faces, you want to try it on and get a good fit.
M.R. – Something that’s going to fit with the helmet the best. Once you figure out which helmet you like and which is going to be comfortable, then it comes down to the fit of the goggles, so you don’t get any uncomfortable pressure on the nose. A lot of people do it backwards.
What is the most important factor in choosing a pair of goggles?
R.F. – We want to talk about lens story, Prizm is number one for us. We’re making a lens now that covers all environments, wear one lens in the morning, if it gets cloudy in the afternoon still keeping that same lens on. We make a couple of different lenses in a couple different colours.
M.R. – Fit. You want to get something that fits you the best. As common as it is to get oversized goggles, it doesn’t necessarily mean they fit properly. As soon as you start getting little gaps in the face foam and you start having air enter the inside of the lens, it’s going to change the dynamics of how it’s supposed to function.
What are the different features available in your goggles?
R.F. – Prizm’s the number one feature that we’re talking about. Light being tuned for each environment, sport tuning lenses for the goggles. OTG (over the glass) for people with glasses.
M.R. – Different lenses. You’re going to get two lenses with the Smith goggle, you’re going to have a sunny day lens to act like your sunglasses and block out most of the light. The low light lens that you’re going to get with that as well, they help give you the definition on the low light days.
What has recent technology done for improving goggles?
R.F. – There’s no more seeing in low light problems, increasing contrast and detail giving you greater vision so you can ride with confidence.
M.R. – Our 5X anti fog has remained to be really top notch, super hard to fog up. Our helmets are designed to be compatible with the goggles, and to help them function. You get the integration between the two so that it’s hard to get condensation buildup on really busy days.
How do the right pair of goggles enhance your experience?
R.F. – Lets you ride with confidence, when you ride with confidence, you start worrying about your riding technique, once that gets dialled in you start riding and having fun. Last thing you want to worry about is what lens I should be wearing, you want to worry about how to get to the lift first, and how to get to the top to have fun.
M.R. – Helps you be able to see all the definition, helps you have more confidence on the hill so that you’re not skiing timid, waiting for a bump that you can’t see.
Thanks to Reilly and Matthew for talking with us about their products! We hope this blog gives you a better idea of how to go about picking the perfect pair of goggles. If you have any questions, come talk with our professionals at the Sports Alpine Retail Shop and they can help you find what you’re looking for.
Interviews, Words & Photos: Jordan Johnson
Most people know the most notable numbers of Fernie, over 2500 Acres of terrain, over 1082 m vertical rise and 142 runs. But here are some other numbers to note from Fernie…
15
The amount of years Greg Barrow (aka G money/aka local legend) has been getting the coveted very first chair of the season. It all started with his tent being kicking off the resort, not Greg, just the tent. Read the
10
Lifts with the ability to move nearly 15,000 skiers around the mountain. Per Hour!
9
On mountain venues for your eating enjoyment. Including the family friendly Kelsey’s in the Plaza and Lost Boys Café at the top of Timber Chair with some of the best views of the resort.
8
Fernival year end parties. The tradition has been going for 8 seasons now, with a huge FREE outdoor concert to thank the community for the great support each year. Previous acts include Spirit of the West, Daniel Wesley, Trooper and 54-40, this year is featuring Platinum Blonde!
7 
Hundred! The amount of feet in the world record shot ski attempt. This happened at Fernie as part of a wedding in 2013. Don’t believe us? Watch the video on our YouTube channel.
6
Beers on tap at Fernie’s newest restaurant Cirque in Lizard Creek Lodge. Cirque (formerly the Great Room) in Lizard Creek Lodge has bar seating as well as restaurant seating for all ages, with a plethora of delicious cocktails to try and 6 beers on tap!
5
Huge Alpine Bowls full of powder to snack on! Whether your favourite bowl is Siberia, Timber, Lizard, Cedar or good ol’ Currie bowl, you’re almost guaranteed to find powder stashes in one of the 5!
4
Avalanche Dogs on staff. An important part of our Ski Patrol program is our Avy dog program, 4 dogs training with 4 members of our ski patrol staff assist daily and are always ready to help out in the event of an avalanche. Read more about our Avalanche Dog Program in ‘Fernie’s Furry Hero’s”.
3 
Story building – how much Fernie’s annual snow fall amount can cover (11 m/37 feet)!
2
Epic Après ski bars, located right in the plaza at Fernie Alpine Resort – check out The Griz Bar in the resort plaza, known for ‘Keepin Rippers Ripped’ since 1962 and also home to live après music weekly and some legendary parties. Or stop into Kelsey’s (especially if you’ve got some kids in tow), gather around the bar or hang out in the restaurant with the littles while enjoying your après beverages.
1
Legend of the Griz. There is one ‘person’ in Fernie credited with bringing the amazing powder to the resort each and every year. It all started with a baby boy born in a bears cave, followed by a battle and finally ending with a musket being shot into the cloud. Read the full Legend on our website.
0
HOW MANY FRIENDS YOU HAVE ON A POWDER DAY IN FERNIE.
Words: Cali Sammel
Photos: Robin Siggers, Sage McBride, Mark Eleven Photography, Dylan Siggers, Fernie Alpine Resort
Fernie is our first favourite…
Like many skiers/boarders in Fernie during the winter, you’re driving here from Calgary. Just 3 hours away makes it easy enough to travel to after the Friday work day, so arriving late may be an unavoidable situation. If you’re coming for the sole purpose of catching some pow at the resort, you may choose to drive straight to the resort to settle into your ski in/ski out accommodations and while there are some places to dine on mountain, choosing to stop in town can provide you with a fun experience and the opportunity to spend time in one of the most authentic ski towns in North America.
The Brickhouse
401 2nd Ave.
Simply put, the Brickhouse has delicious food and good beer. With a kitchen open until around 10/10:30pm you can grab your later at night meal here and not have to give any sacrifice to taste. With healthy and hearty options to choose from, it also focuses on local, organic ingredients and even has some pleasant surprises like the Nut Free Grilled Chicken Pesto Sammy, conveniently listed as nut free on the menu, a huge bonus for people with food allergies (like me).
http://thebrickhousefernie.com/
The Loaf
641, 2nd Ave.
Just down the street from The Brickhouse (literally), is one of the town’s favourite bakeries which doubles as a delicious restaurant, you can pop in to buy baked goods/bread for a snack – or there a few tables to sit down and order off their menu, providing a great spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner or Après (they’re a licensed facilities with $5 happy hour)!
http://www.loafbakery.ca/
Blue Toque Café
601 1st Ave, in Arts Station
Slightly off the beaten path you might not notice it because it isn’t located on 2nd ave or 7th Ave. Blue Touque is located in the Arts Station (1st ave). Their corporate and mission statement, as written on the blackboard above their coffee bar reads “good eats & a cup of joe”, a simply and meaningful statement. Preparing everything from the freshest of states, you will feel full and happy after tasting something off their hearty and very vegan/vegetarian gluten free friendly menu. This quaint café is on the smaller side, but if you’ve found yourself waiting for a table just put your name down on the list and occupy yourself by taking in the art that decorates the hall walls.
Eating On Mountain
NEW Cirque Restaurant & Ice Bar
Located in Lizard Creek Lodge
This is one to add to your Fernie food bucket list for sure! Cirque is the new restaurant and bar in Lizard Creek Lodge, home to the iconic fireplace it recently underwent a gorgeous renovation, making the new great room a comfortable and trendy place to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner or après drinks. Plus, Cirque is home to the new Ice Bar presented by Stoli, whether you are a vodka connoisseur our not this is one experience not to miss! Get donned in provided Helly Hansen parkas and enter the Ice room (literally a room made out of ice) to taste the world’s finest vodkas the way they were meant to be enjoyed, in sub zero temperatures and learn about them too!
Learning about the best vodka at the new Ice Bar at Lizard Creek Lodge in Fernie
Griz Bar
Located in the Fernie Alpine Resort plaza
The Griz Bar has been an icon of Fernie Alpine Resort since it opened under its original name, Fernie Ski Valley, in fact it’s been ‘keepin rippers ripped since 1962”. Being one of the hottest spots for Apres, it has indoor and outdoor seating, an infamous table and a wonderfully simple menu (nachos and beer) and is often featuring local bands for live après entertainment. Darcy has been running the Griz Bar for years and is the brain child behind the NEW ‘peak to pint’ challenge, read more about Darcy on Fernie Alpine Resort’s Facebook page and find out more about the Griz Bar on the website.
Eat too much? Don’t worry , there’s a run (or two) for that!
Words & Photos by Cali Sammel
Wondering what else there is to do in Fernie? Check out “The Top 7 Things to Do this Winter While Visiting Fernie“
In Hollywood they say there’s no business like show business, and in Fernie we say there’s no business like snow business. And when we say business, we mean business. No matter what type of rider you are, we’ve put together a secret little list of tips for you to steal and use this season straight from the best source, our staff and locals. So, steal this list and find places on the mountain to explore you might never have known existed, find some of the best scenery Fernie offers or cruise down the longest run for a relaxing ride down. So pick up your trail map from the resort or download it from the Mountain Stats section on our website, find these runs and have the best day at Fernie of your life!
Morning Glory
#2 – Black
Morning Glory [in Siberia Bowl] has great morning light, a good pitch and nice tree spacing. Looking for those powder stashes and untouched spots on the mountain? Look no further than Morning Glory for the best chance!
Morning Glory in Siberia Bowl
Mama Bear or Papa Bear
#118, 119 – Double Black
For some of the most amazing view you can image, ride the Polar Peak lift (the newest lift at Fernie Alpine Resort) to the summit. Start above the clouds and descend to get to the sunshine, enjoy amazing view and ride a huge vertical on your way down. There are also 2 blue runs off Polar Peak – try Polar Coaster (#124) or Polar Circus (#125) for an easier way down. As Powder Matt likes to say “this one works better than a strong cup of coffee to get that heart pounding fun going on!
Mama & Papa Bear runs
Corner Pocket
#93 – Double Black
Mother Nature presented Fernie with an interesting problem at Corner Pocket. Corner Pocket (in Lizard Bowl) is a tight entrance to steep chutes, being a high wind area the snow was often blown away. About 10 years ago, Fernie’s ski patrol came up with an idea – tires! Hauling tires across the mountain to this hidden spot one a time patrol finally was able to create a system to get to the steeps without ruining the bottom your of your skis. Climbing here you’ll find some of the best powder at the resort!
Cornerpocket
Sky Dive
#93 – Double Black
Currie Bowl, home to the popular Sky Dive run, is loved by the more extreme rider, drop into Currie for some of the best steeps on the mountain (but we didn’t tell you that). “I love Currie bowl for many different reasons. The famed Currie rope drop, the whole Concussion zone and Alpha Centari just to name a few. But the main reason is it accesses the Big 3. For me there is no better situation at Fernie Alpine Resort than being the first track down Skydive on a pow day. Top to bottoming that beast is the best feeling in the world. You definitely deserve some Griz Bar pints after picking off all 3!”
– Kieran Summers, Owner Giv’Er Shirtworks
Currie Bowl, where you’ll find Sky Dive
Easter Bowl
#49 – Black
Arguably the favourite bowl at Fernie Alpine Resort, Lizard is great for the thrill seeker. Home to the locals’ favourite area Easter Bowl, Lizard is also the location of the Headwall. “The lizard bowl is like falling for the girl in the hot miniskirt and realizing she’s as kind as the girl next door”
– Tyler, Fernie Ski Patrol
Easter!
Surprize and Shaky Acres
#98 – black, #13 – Blue
You’ll be hard pressed to find a rider who doesn’t love Surprize. Located in Timber Bowl, surprise is laden with challenging terrain coming in through the trees but also has some slightly easier and wide open spots (like Shaky Acres). This bowl accommodates almost any skier/rider (plus you get to show off your skills for all those on the chairlift as you pass below) and everyone likes a show off, right?
Snake Main & Glades
#82 & 82A – Black
Cedar Bowl is another local favourite with lots of natural rollers and fall lines, providing amazing vista’s and views. End your day at the Snake Ridge area, where the snow is known to be some of the deepest at the resort. Snake Ridge stays freshest the longest and you can get in some great long laps!
Snake Ridge
Snake Ridge, skier – Dylan Siggers
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See you out here!
Today kicked off another great season at Fernie Alpine Resort and continuing with a long standing tradition (15 years!), Greg aka G-Money camped out at the resort in order to be first in line to be first on the lift and first off the lift to take the sweet initial turns of the winter.
Greg ‘G-money’ in known in the community, not just for nabbing first chair each recent ski season, but also for owning Edge of the World, a popular board shop located on 2nd ave in the town of Fernie. So just how did this tradition for Greg begin? In his own words…
15 years ago…
He [Barrow] had pitched a tent at the bottom of the Timber chair the night before Opening Day. He wanted to be on the first chair of the season. The security guard told him to camp in the designated camping area. Barrow started negotiating.
“I can’t get first chair from up there.”
“You’re gonna camp for first chair?” the guard asked.
“Yeah,” Barrow replied. “Well, can I stand here?”
“Yes,” the security guard said. “But you can’t camp here.”
“He goes: ‘I am not gonna call my boss at 2 in the morning and wake him up because some fool is trying to camp.’
“So, I just went and put my tent in the car and then went back and stood there.”
Read the full story on the Globe & Mail website.
These days, we allow Greg to camp out in hopes of getting first chair, anyone who has that type of dedication and love for a sport deserves it! That’s what we think anyways.
Here’s Greg on first chair last season (2014)
First Chair 2014!
And 2013….
2012!
2011
You get the idea…
