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
1. 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 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.
4. Night SkiingEvery 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 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 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.
Written by Jordan Johnson
Photos: Vince Mo, Mark Eleven Photography, Jordan Johnson
Fly & ski in one day! With the new Integra Air service from Calgary International Airport (YYC) to the Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC) 6 times each week starting this month! Get more information, the schedule or book your flight from the Integra Air website.
Want us to do all the work for you? Give one of our reservation agents a call at 1-800-258-7669 to book your flight, hotel and tickets all at once!
From grinders to Burlapzzz – not many people can brag about how awesome their life is like Dylan Siggers can (and trust us, he has rights). Let us tell you why;
Dylan’s Dad
Dylan is what we refer to as a true Fernie local, meaning he is born in Fernie to parents who have been living here for some time (even though we technically don’t consider them locals)! Dylan’s Dad, Robin Siggers made his discovery of Fernie Alpine Resort while powder seeking, coming from Vancouver, he settled in Fernie and never left. Dylan, growing up in an incredibly outdoorsy mountain town, the adventure roots run deep in Dylan’s blood. In fact, Dylan’s Dad – Robin, is the mountain operations manager at Fernie Alpine Resort, allowing him to fall in love with mountain biking and skiing in a way few can.
On top of absolutely mastering the art of skiing (and mountain biking), Dylan’s passion is also in videography and photography. Branching into this industry with his strong background in the sport has brought Dylan and his crew around the Powder Highway and the world in their efforts to snap the greatest images, put together the most adrenaline pumping videos – all while seeking the greatest powder they can find.
Check out one of Dylan’s most popular ski videos ‘Kootenay Influence Episode 5, with over 60,000 viewson the Fernie Youtube Channel. His Dad, Robin, is also no stranger to producing viral videos, check out his most popular one with over 15,000 views First Run of the 2010 – 20111 Season also on Fernie’s Youtube channel.
With Dylan’s success filming in Fernie, B.C – his talents have expanded to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Kimberley Alpine Resort, Nakiska Ski Area as well as doing work for Biglines, Line Ski and more.
Burlapzzz, Dylan’s most recent and more personal project focuses on having fun and has taken him and his ‘coworkers’ Josh & Brody Mcskimming to places across British Columbia and Canada with hopes of taking it even further (like the entire world!) and soon.
Dylan, slaying some pow
Not only an accomplished filmmaker, Dylan is in fact an amazing skier and community member – he’s won multiple Freeski comps, most recently placing first in the signature Wrangle the Chute event at Kicking Horse in 2014. His passion also runs deep within the community in Fernie, not only is he sponsored in his riding by many local businesses, he’s also one of the main organizers of the Wam Bam Dirt Jump Jam an annual celebration of mountain biking and music combined into one awesome festival.
Check out more of Dylan’s videos on his Vimeo Channel and stay tuned for more epic pow videos to come from him this winter!
Words by Cali Sammel
Feature Photo by Robin Siggers of Dylan Siggers
Fernie is full of passion. Arguably, first and foremost, many are die hard skiers or snowboarders and enjoy all the perks that come with having Fernie Alpine Resort in their backyard. However, outside of the resort there are plenty of other fun things to do and see in Fernie, B.C. If you’re looking to venture further into the Fernie culture, here are some suggestions to help you plan the perfect Fernie itinerary:
Ghostriders Hockey Game
Named after the Legend of the Ghostrider, the locals in Fernie are super into their hockey and extremely (borderline obsessively so) supportive of their team – similar to the rest of Canada. If you’re in town during a Ghostriders game it would be an outrage to not see it!
Check out the Ghostriders schedule on their website. Photo courtesy of Ghostriders flickr.
Read about the Legend of the Ghostrider.
Take a Hot Tub Time Machine Tour
That’s right, Hot Tub Time Machine. The popular 2010 John Cusack movie was filmed largely in Fernie, some of the filming locations include Main Street (2nd Ave), The Brickhouse on 2nd Ave, The Plaza at Fernie Alpine Resort. Stop by and see if you can recognize Fernie disguised as the fictional Kodiak Valley from the movie.
Visit the Miners Tour & City Hall
Fernie, like many B.C towns, owes a lot of their history to mining. Outside the architecturally pleasing City Hall is a shrine to the miners that made its history, paved with 300 bricks with the names of miners and mining families. Walk through the set up and read educational plaques and learn about history through interactive features.
Also nearby for a visit are the Fernie Courthouse, Museum, Arts Station and Heritage Library. More info.
Go for a Winter Bike
New this season, dedicated trails and rental bikes for Winter Fat Biking! Monster tires and low gearing means biking in the snow is easy and fun for both first timers and seasoned cyclists. Take a tour – the resort will offer rental bikes and tours/lessons with guides this winter. More info.
Eat Delicious Food
Like most cool little towns, Fernie has a thriving food industry. With many places to dine including some gems like The Loaf or The Brickhouse on ‘main street’ or Yamagoya Sushi. Stay tuned for another article featuring the best places to eat in Fernie!
Visit the Spa
With a few spas to choose from in Fernie, you can stay on mountain and enjoy the Lizard Creek Lodge spa or venture into town. What better way to feel great after a long day of riding the pow than to have a relaxing massage? For a full list of available spas visit the Tourism Fernie website.
Snowshoeing/Cross Country Skiing
Fernie Alpine Resort and the surrounding area has an extensive network of cross country ski trails and snowshoeing trails. The trails at the resort are regularly maintained (groomed & trackset) and are multi-use trails, free of charge. Snowshoe and Nordic ski rentals as well as guided tours are available at the 
resort, or roam around on your own and enjoy nature’s tranquility (maps and signage on the trails will let you know where to go). In addition, the Fernie Nordic Society maintains a great network of trails at the provincial park and golf course (membership or day use fee required).
For more information on what to do while visiting Fernie visit the Things to Do in Resort or Things to Do in Town sections on our website or the Tourism Fernie website.
Words by Cali Sammel
Photos by Fernie Ghostriders, Fernie Alpine Resort and Cali Sammel
Confession – before my wife and I had kids I would walk across a few football fields of parking lot to get to the lifts if it meant my efforts would be rewarded with fresh tracks. However now that I have a family, the expression “ski in-ski out” has the same dreamy connotations for me as the words “free beer.” Except unlike the latter, ski in- ski out actually exists. It took me just a couple of trips across the ski resort parking lot, with multiple pairs of skis stacked in my arms like firewood, while coaxing kids with promises of hot chocolate before even completing a single run, to truly realize that the way accommodation is situated in relation to the lifts can make a huge difference to the quality of a holiday at the ski hill.
Options like this are not available to everyone
That’s why, Fernie Alpine Resort got it right when they designed and developed the chalet style Lizard Creek Lodge, one of the first luxury boutique ski-ski out lodges in Fernie when it first opened in 2000. The Lizard is convenience defined. If you want, you could soak in the lodge’s outdoor hot tub and almost carry on a conversation with a friend about to board the Elk Chair a few ski lengths away. That’s how close and convenient Lizard Creek Lodge is to the action the slope. The lodge’s legendary great room is undergoing a transformation for this season, that will retain the space’s warm mountain aesthetic but with the added touch of an ice lounge and sushi bar.
Ski in – ski out also defines the aptly named Slopeside Inn near the resort plaza, and the Thunder Ridge Chalets, beautifully arranged in wooded settings next to the Elk Chair. And if you want an extended lunch or mid-day beverage, slide to a stop at the base area’s Mountain Plaza, warm up in Kelsey’s On The Mountain or polish the tables with the sleeves of ski sweater at the hallowed Griz Bar. Afterward, click into your bindings and slide down to the lift and hop on, or to the door of your lodge. It may seem like a small detail, but it’s one that counts. At Fernie you want to leave it all on the slopes, whether it’s exploring powder lines and steeps in the resort’s five Lizard Range alpine bowls, or lapping top to bottoms with the kids on the Elk Chair – after all who wants to schlep across parking lots, with tired kids in tow, when you can ski in and ski out. Words that are magic to any family’s ears.
Words by Andrew Findlay
Imagine this; you wake up from your slumber early, really early. And you’re not getting back to sleep. What do you do? What do most of us do? Grab our smart phones. Now, when you grab your phone you’ll have the ability to get the most up to date information for snow conditions, weather reports, trail maps, resort info and more from one handy app for Fernie Alpine Resort (and our other RCR resorts).
Your next problem – it’s going to be a powder day!! Time to call in sick and head out to the mountains!
For more information on our App read our Press Release.
If you’re spending time in Fernie this Winter Season, you should be planning ahead for at least one memorable night out on Downtown Fernie’s vibrant 2nd Avenue. The ingredients for the Perfect Aprés Ski Party? How about: delicious food, fantastic ambience, great friends and fun.
Fernie favourite, the Loaf, can deliver all the goods! Loaf has an excellent local reputation for casual fine-dining with great service. Their range of Italian-inspired menu items and freshly prepared dinner specials are available nightly alongside their award-winning, stone-baked, Italian-style pizzas. Loaf is a great choice for families and groups – they can accommodate large parties, private functions and even arrange live music and entertainment to make your party a memorable one. Just call the Loaf on (250) 423-7702 to discuss your requirements.
See www.loafbakery.ca for details on brunch, $5 Happy Hour, dinner times and menus, including Loaf’s super-easy-to-use online take-out service.
Tyler Werry is on the ‘Road to Korea’! Tyler, born and raised in Fernie is about to start his second year on the Canadian National Ski Team – his goal is to make it into the XXIII Olympic Games being held in Korea in 2018. Help support Tyler on his Road to Korea by attending a fundraiser to help offset his Alpine Canada Team fees on November 1st in Calgary.
More about Tyler Werry;
Tyler grew up skiing in Fernie where he joined the Fernie Alpine Ski Team (FAST), from a young age he always had a desire to go fast! Making the provincial team in 2008 and moving onto the national team in 2014, Tyler has had two very successful seasons at the NorAm level.
In 2014, he placed 1st in the Super G standings, 2nd in the Alpine Combined standings, and 3rd overall in the NorAm Standings, winning his first Canadian Championship Title in GS that same year.
In 2015, Tyler finished 1st in the Downhill standings, 3rd in the super G standings, and 2nd overall in the NorAm Standings, this past season he also had my first top 30 result on the World Cup circuit, finishing 26th in Wengen’s Alpine Combined!
For more information about the fundraiser contact – [email protected]. We hope to see you there!
Images courtesy of Tyler Werry.
Snow, that’s why! We’re off to a snowy start here at Fernie Alpine Resort, with the snow in fact first falling at the beginning of September right as we were closing down our summer operations! While it made a brief disappearance so far in October, it returned this week and is a great sign for the upcoming ski season.
It started with a brief dusting overnight the weekend
Photo from the Top of Bear Chair – October 26th (morning)
And continued into Tuesday!
Top of Whitepass – October 27th (Credit: Thomas Hopkins)
So get ready to get in line for first chair! Opening date is tentatively scheduled for December 4th, stay tuned to our online events calendar for updates closer to the date.
