Fernie and Fernie Alpine Resort Winter Season
How often should you wax?
Your skis that is.
Kay, retail and rental manager here at Fernie Alpine Resort gives us some advice: It’s recommended you wax your skis every 5 or 6 times out. The reason being the base of your ski is very porous (similar to your skin) with lotion (wax) you’ll have a better running surface. This will allow for increased glide over all snow conditions, less leg fatigue and increased speed. The layer of water that is created by the friction between your skis and the snow will wick away from the base of your skis and not get absorbed into the base thus allowing for better glide (even when you’re skiing powder).
Remember the base of your skis is just like your skin, when it’s dry you take care of this by putting on lotion. Hot waxing is the lotion for your skis!
Our Professional tech’s at the ski resorts will be able to take care of this for all of our guests, find them in the Repair area located in the Rental Shop in the base area at Fernie Alpine Resort. Just print off a coupon from the Member Benefits website and redeem it at the resort.
Don’t forget – if you’re a season passholder use this member benefit to get a free tune up – ‘Buy 2 Get 1 Free – buy 3 full tune ups for the price of 2, includes edge base and side, stone grind, Ptex and hot wax’. Just show your season pass to take advantage of this benefit!
Find out more about why to wax your skis and what a tune up entails on our YouTube channel (plus find out what the fancy machine behind Harry is used for too).
Fernival, Fernie’s Favourite Festival
Fernie (located in British Columbia, Canada) is getting more and more well known for a lot of exciting things, including (but certainly not limited to);
Averaging more than 30 feet of snow every single season (that Fernie factor pow),
and this was just the pre season!
Having an awesome (and totally gorgeous) ski town – once named Coolest Town in North America by Rolling Stone Magazine,
The Town of Fernie, BC
Having even more awesome locals to chat with at local bars during après ski and last but certainly not least throwing one epic year end FREE outdoor festival year after year (the biggest concert in the Rockies)!
Fernival 2016
The people of Fernie have an interesting affinity for the 80’s. This is not an uncommon sight to see (photo right), and one which begs the question, why do people in 80’s wear always pose in a lunge?
Whatever the reason for the 80’s lunge is, Fernival has catered to this ongoing love affair in many of our previous 8 festivals with acts including Trooper, Spirit of the West and Platinum Blonde!
This year, the 9th annual festival is getting a fun little shake up turning the one day event into two – starting with a classic rock cover band, The Backroad Traveler Band to get the fill of our favourite classics in, moving to Skratch Bastid, the nationally popular DJ to entertain us before the final act – Wide Mouth Mason! Do it all again the next day with the high energy AC/DC cover band aptly named BC/DC. Did we mention it’s all free?
FREE FERNIVAL FUN!
Fernival takes place in the plaza at Fernie Alpine Resort, surrounded by an alpine village offering a variety of hotel, condo and ski in/ski out accommodations to fit the smallest and largest of groups. Meaning after a day of this type of partying….
Shotski – a Fernie Tradition
you barely have to stumble more than a snowballs throw away to get to your home for the weekend. And if riding is all you’re after – Fernie is known for its heavy snowfall along with a mild climate, making it one of the best places to spring ski! With the balmy temps you can forgo wearing that ski jacket and head out in a bunnyhug (hoodie for those who might not know our western Canadian slang) or sometimes even a t-shirt at the end of the season here! Don’t forget to top it all off with the SlopeSoaker event on Sunday afternoon and watch brave/crazy participants attempt to cross our pond in wacky outfits for the ultimate ski bum event title.
So be one of these people this April!
And attend Fernival in Fernie, British Columbia, Canada!
Fernival is on April 15th & 16th, 2017.
Photos by: Burrrlapz, Henry Georgi, Cali Sammel and Robin Siggers
Griz on Tour & New Ms. Griz Webcam
Everyone who is familiar with Fernie knows the legend of the Griz, and anyone who checks the snow report knows that we have our own Griz standing faithfully next to our snow stick on the Mountain Cams section of our website.
What you may have missed however, is that over the summer months our little Griz took a vacation from his post! His adventures were documented over the course of the summer on the griz_on_tour instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/griz_on_tour/).
After wrapping up his job at the hill for the winter and getting his affairs in order, Griz started his adventure on June 28th with a post of him in a field with his beloved resort in the background.
His posts continued on a regular basis where he was observed behind a steering wheel, going on hikes, wishing everyone a good morning, making friends, and enjoying a nice cup of Tim’s coffee.
Griz’s adventures took him all around the Elk Valley; to campgrounds, recreation sites, from mountain meadows to peaks and everywhere in-between. He took a dip in a river or two to cool off, visited the Skookumchuck duck pond, and even found his way to Calgary’s Mountain Equipment Co-Op!
Throughout his tour, Griz encouraged people to adventure every day, explore their surroundings, respect the environment, be bear aware and most of all to appreciate the beauty of our mountains.
Fernie Alpine Resort was happy to welcome the Griz back to his post when the snow started to fly, where he faithfully reports the snowfall each night via his live webcam (skifernie.com/conditions/mountain-cam/).
Joining Griz this season on the mountain will be his sweetheart Ms. Griz! She’ll be working out of Currie Bowl and will be hard at work with Mr. Griz reporting snowfall via her own live webcam at the bottom of Polar Peak Chair.
Photos of Griz on Tour:
Burrrlapz, The Movie – Premiere on November 19th
Burrrlapz refers to a group of die hard skiers from Fernie, British Columbia, Canada. They live, eat and sleep skiing and are granted us the opportunity to have a glimpse into their daily mountain adventures through their first full length ski movie. Get your tickets at Commit Snow & Skate on Fernie’s main street (2nd ave.) and check out the world premiere of the Burrrlapz movie at the Vogue theatre in Fernie, B.C on November 19th. Don’t forget about the after party at The Northern Bar & Stage featuring local Fernie band The Runs.
Follow The Burrrlapz on Facebook and Vimeo.
A Brief Yet Thorough Guide to Riding That Fernie Factor Powder
A typical powder day in Fernie, BC
All winter long, you methodically check in with Ron Lakeman of Fernie Alpine Resort’s Alpine Weather Report (he’s the man, and he’s honest), and it’s looking extremely good for the next couple of days. The storm is on its way, and it has the potential to be big. Like, Champagne Tuesday big.
After work, you head on home and prepare your things.
“Hmmm, if I get to the hill by 8am, I can grab first chair and ski hard for a couple of hours and make it back to my desk before noon.”
Perfect. You have a nice dinner, periodically checking the forecast and weather outside, and decide to head to bed at a reasonable hour to ensure you’re at your best in the morning… but the falling snow glowing in the street lights just outside your window has you too excited, and by 6am you’re checking the 
Griz Plot Mountain Cam on Skifernie.com… and that’s all it takes. The 10-15 is easily 30cm+, and the stoke is way up. The coffee is on, you call in your Big Bang Bagel to pick up en route, and get ready to go.
The early bird not only gets the worm, but also the parking space. You know exactly where you’re headed, and meet a few like-minded and familiar people as you buckle your boots and take the short downhill traverse to your lift of choice. Having grown up in this valley, the Old Side is where you’re headed as you’ve been skiing it since you were three and know well how and where it holds snow on any given powder day.
The ride up the Bear Chair is silent with anticipation, not a line can be seen in the pristine runs below, and your mind is busy with plans on how to execute the next two hours of heaven. Cedar is only open from the ridge, so you decide to ski PS I Love You to Boom… and it’s definitely the right choice. The crystal flakes kiss your face, and your own laughter and breath reach your ears. Then it’s Cedar Ridge, and Linda’s Run, and….. Cedar is open! You arrive just in time and 
help to put in the traverse to Steep and Deep…. When you get fresh tracks on this pitch, you know you’ve played the morning well and that it couldn’t get much better. You have just enough time for a couple of more laps on Snake, and then happily make your way across the mountain. Perfection.
There is really no better start to the day, and it looks like tomorrow will be much the same… you’ve checked in with Ron, just to be sure.
Gear up for Winter (check your gear first)
Checking your Ski Equipment now is very important for many reasons, here are the 3 top reasons;
FAQ: I get asked all the time ‘Why should I check my Ski Equipment, as I’m not a great skier and spend lots of time on the beginner slopes with kids…”
My Answer: I always say try these- once you try new skis you are on cloud nine. Technology advancements, ski shape, size are some of the many reasons the new skis really do make a difference. You owe it to yourself as it will enhance your skiing skills, make skiing easier and give you more control on the slopes.
FAQ: I have a pair of skis in the garage- is it okay to use them?
My Answer: The key here is check the bindings- visit your local ski shop or most ski resorts have tune up shops in the rental areas as well. If you live in Calgary visit your local ski shop like the new Sporting Life store located in Southcentre mall to have a pro look at the bindings to make sure they still are in good shape and meet current binding standards.
FAQ: Do I really need to check the condition of the bases and edges of my skis?
My Answer: Now I don’t get my skis tuned all that regularly as I ski mostly in soft, powder snow. But if you are visiting ski resorts that have hard snow or icy conditions regularly then you should definitely get your skis tuned more often.
Have anymore questions? Feel free to ask me through my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook page!
Twitter, Instagram & Facebook – @PowderMatt
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
Save on your ski vacation by booking early!
Book your ski vacation to your happy place for the upcoming season and save! We have early booking packages with offers like third night free plus kids ski for free with packages booked before November 30.
Visit the Early Booking Vacation Offer page for more information. See all our available packages, visit our Ski RCR Vacation site. From the Ski RCR Vacation website you can book online, chat with a reservation agent online to ask any questions you might have. Give us a call at 1-800-258-7669 to speak to a vacation booking specialist over the phone.
Don’t forget to book your ski vacation before November 30th, 2016 in order to take advantage of the savings!
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
NEW this winter at Fernie Alpine Resort & Lizard Creek Lodge.
The Powder & Ice package!
This new vacation package bundles your accommodations with a day of Cat Skiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures and 2 days of skiing at Fernie Alpine Resort!
Catskiing with Fernie Wilderness Adventures Photo courtesy of FWA Facebook
You’ll stay at the 4.5 star Lizard Creek Lodge, a recommended property on TripAdvisor with a idyllic slopeside ski and ski out location at Fernie Alpine Resort. Debuted last season at Lizard Creek Lodge was the opening of the Ice Bar – enter the subzero room, made out of blocks of ice, and sample craft vodkas out of ice glasses. The new Ice Bar is a one of a kind experience not to be missed while in Fernie.
The Ice Bar at Lizard Creek Lodge
Let the Powder Fly and then hit the new Ice Bar!
With over 5,000 acres with a variety of Ridges to begin your descents from. The guides at Fernie Wilderness Company have a vast variety to choose from, the terrain ranges from ridges, valleys’ to spectacular gladed meadows. With the elevation at over 7,150 ft / 2170 meters the conditions keep the snow falling from the Coast and dry powder perfect for skier and snowboarders to enjoy world renowned Canadian Rockies.
Want Powder? We’ve got that!
Check out a Fernie Wilderness Adventures on their Vimeo page, for more information about them visit their Facebook page.
Coming winter 2016, booking will be available soon.
