×
×
SNOW CONDITIONS »
cm
cm
OVERNIGHT
48 HOURS
cm
cm
24 HOURS
7 DAY
WEATHER »
UPPER MOUNTAIN
° C
° C
HIGH
LOW
LOWER MOUNTAIN
° C
° C
HIGH
LOW
RUNS »
     
/
81
GROOMED
     
/
145
OPEN
LIFT STATUS »
/
10
OPEN
ELK QUAD CHAIR:
TIMBER EXPRESS:
BUY LIFT TICKETS
WEATHER FORECAST »
FRI
HIGH 18 °C
LOW 11 °C
SAT
HIGH 18 °C
LOW 14 °C
SUN
HIGH 12 °C
LOW 8 °C

×
MOUNTAIN CAMS »
GRIZ CAM
CEDAR BOWL
LIZARD BOWL
WHITE PASS
CHAIR
BEARS DEN
LIZARD RUN
×
CM
in the last 24 hours
×
Notification Alert
1 (800) 258-7669
  
  
BLOG | JOBS | HOURS | CONTACT US
SAFETY & RISK AWARENESS
WEB CAMS
LIZARD RUN
 
 

Fernie Alpine Resort

  • PLAN & PURCHASE
    • Close
    • GETTING HERE
      By Road
      By Air
      Tour Operators
      Transportation
      International Travelers
      Hours of Operation
      PURCHASE
      Day Tickets
      Summer Season Passes
      Summer Adventure School
      Bike Rentals
      Mountain Biking Lessons
      Sightseeing
      Guided Hiking Tours
      Kids Summer Activities
      LODGING
      All Lodging
      Hot Deals & Packages
      Package Booking Code
      Resort Map
      Last Minute Deals Signup
      GROUPS
      Weddings
      Large Groups
      Corporate
      School
      WINTER
      SUMMER
      WINTER
      SUMMER
    • Close
  • DISCOVER
    • Close
    • DISCOVER FERNIE
      Real Estate
      Resort Maps
      History & Griz Legend
      THE VILLAGE
      Restaurants
      Shopping / Base Area Services
      BIKE PARK
      Explore the Bike Park
      Bike Trails
      Lessons & Camps
      Rentals
      HIKING/SIGHTSEEING
      Hiking Trails & Map
      Trail Report
      Sightseeing
      Guided & Specialty Hikes
      KIDS
      Kids Summer Activities
      Interpretive Centre
      Forest Playground
      WINTER
      SUMMER
      WINTER
      SUMMER
    • Close
  • THE MOUNTAIN
    • Close
    • GETTING HERE
      By Road
      By Air
      Tour Operators
      Transportation
      International Travelers
      Hours of Operation
      PURCHASE
      Day Tickets
      Summer Season Passes
      Summer Adventure School
      Bike Rentals
      Mountain Biking Lessons
      Sightseeing
      Guided Hiking Tours
      Kids Summer Activities
      LODGING
      All Lodging
      Hot Deals & Packages
      Package Booking Code
      Resort Map
      Last Minute Deals Signup
      GROUPS
      Weddings
      Large Groups
      Corporate
      School
      WINTER
      SUMMER
      WINTER
      SUMMER
    • Close
  • EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
    • Close
    • EVENTS
      All Events
      Family Activities
      Food
      Competitions & Races
      Event Results
      MOUNTAIN ACTIVITIES
      Mountain Biking
      Guided Hiking Tours
      Sightseeing
      Kids Summer Activities
      Nature Bob's Interpretive Centre
      Forest Playground
      OTHER ACTIVITIES
      Rafting
      Fly Fishing
      Golfing / Tennis
      Special Activity Packages
      WINTER
      SUMMER
      WINTER
      SUMMER
    • Close

Tag: Dad

Our First Family Ski Trip to Fernie Alpine Resort
Monday, 29 February 2016 by Tanya Koob

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 Lizard Creekwe 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 terrainSwimming pool at Lizard Creek
  • 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 fireplaceCirque 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 Lizard Creek condo(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 Skiing on lower slopescould 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.

BlogDadFamilyFernieFun StuffHolidaysKidsLizard Creek LodgeParentsTipsVacationWinterYYC
Read more
  • Published in Blog, Fernie, Winter
No Comments
Kids are #1 at Fernie Alpine Resort: 10 kid friendly activities to try this season.
Monday, 01 February 2016 by Karen Pepper

Hot Chocolate with Sprinkles1. Hot Chocolate with Sprinkles

Take a break from shredding the slopes and warm up with a cup of hot chocolate, piled high with whipped cream and topped with sprinkles! You can find this treat for kids of all ages at Kelsey’s, Lost Boys Cafe, Cirque Restaurant and Slopeside Coffee Shop.

2. $5 Meals at Kelsey’s

Taking the family out for dinner doesn’t have to break the bank. Every day at Kelsey’s, kids 12 and under eat for $5!

3. No School Ride DaysNo School Ride Days

School District 5 kids are out of school on February 5th, 8th, 26th and March 28th and you need to keep them busy! Drop them off at the hill for a No School Ride Day hosted by our Winter Sports School. $55 will get them a full day lift ticket and lesson, $29 for a half day. Come in to the WSS desk at Guest Services, call 250-423-2406 or email [email protected] for more information and to register.

Night Skiing Mark Eleven Photography4. Night Skiing

Every Saturday night from now until the end of March, come out and spend an evening with your friends on the Mighty Moose from 4-9pm. Lift tickets from that day are valid for night skiing. Children and Youth (up to age 17) can pick up a free night skiing ticket at the rental shop.

5. Mommy Ride Day

Does Mom need a break? Drop the little one off to have fun at our daycare while you head up for some ski time. Half-day daycare, half-day lesson and lift ticket for $69, available Monday-Friday. Contact Winter Sports School to book. (Don’t worry Dads, this deal applies to you too!)

6. Riglet BoardsRiglet Boards

If you’re wanting to get your little ripper onto a snowboard this year, head to the Rental Shop and ask about our Burton Riglet Snowboards. Our rental professionals can get them outfitted and our Winter Sports School instructors can provide top level instruction to get them started on the right edge. Riglet boards are intended for kids from age 3 and up, you can check out http://burtonriglet.com/ for more information.

7. Griz Kids Carnival

Saturday, March 12th is the Griz Kids Carnival! The plaza will be full of activities, games and entertainment that the whole family can enjoy. The best part of this carnival is that it’s all free!

8. Weekend ClubsWeekend Clubs

Keep the kids busy and improving their skills on the weekend. Starting February 20th and running every weekend for 6 weeks, these programs are designed for ages 3-18. They will be skiing or riding with kids around the same age and ability level, and will be with the same instructor every week. For more information and descriptions of the camps available: https://skifernie.com/rentals-lessons/telus-winter-sports-school/kids-clubs/

9. Kids Birthday Parties

Celebrate your birthday at Fernie Alpine Resort! Available Saturdays during night skiing, you get access to Slopeside Cafe, Deck and Fire Pit. $10 per Guest gets one slice of pizza, veggies and hot chocolate. For more information and to book, please contact Stacey at 250-430-7163 or [email protected]

10. Secret Kid’s Area

If you turn left off of the Deer Chair and go down the Meadow run you’ll find the Minute Maid Secret Kid’s Entrance. Head into the trees and try to spot the mascots for all the RCR ski hills.

Secret Kid's Area

Written by Jordan Johnson

Photos: Vince Mo, Mark Eleven Photography, Jordan Johnson

ActivitiesBlogDadFamilyFernieFernie Alpine ResortFun StuffKidsMomParentsSki SeasonWinter
Read more
  • Published in Fernie, Winter
No Comments

Vacations

PARTNERS
SIGNUP FOR THE LATEST NEWS & RESORT SPECIALS
From Fernie Alpine Resort
SIGN UP

 

CONTACT US
Reservations: 1 (800) 258 7669
[email protected]

5339 Ski Hill Road
Fernie, BC V0B 1M6
Canada
ABOUT RCR

About RCR
Media Inquiries
Job Postings
Donations
Partners
INFORMATION

Contact Us
Help Center
Experience Survey
Hours
Winter Member Benefits
Utility Services
Community Services Assessment (Rent Charge)
Summit Fund
HOW TO ORDER

Online Store
By Phone
Installment Plan
LEGAL

Terms & Conditions
Waivers & Release Agreements
RCR is inclusive. Harassment and discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated.
ABOUT FERNIE REAL ESTATE SAFETY PRESS RELEASES JOBS CONTACT US
TOP