A Guide To Fernie Ski Resort

Fernie is fast becoming one of the most popular resorts in North America attracting visitors from all over the world. We have been running our ski and snowboard instructor and improvement courses in Fernie for the last seven years so we wanted to share with you what makes it so great.

Check out this video to see what the town and ski resort are like, and hear what locals have to say about Fernie

Highlighted in Explore Magazine as “one of Canada’s best communities to live and play,” Fernie is a place that residents and visitors alike are happy to keep a secret. Although unspoilt by mass tourism and package holidays, Fernie is in fact the 4th largest ski resort in Canada and is rapidly becoming the place to spend a season. The Good Ski and Snowboard Guide rated Fernie ‘The Best North American Resort’.

Locally referred to as ‘Snow Valley,’ the area boasts an incredible annual snowfall of over 29ft (875cm) one of the highest in North America, and considering Fernie has a relatively short winter season (mid December to mid April) this means that there are more regular powder dumps than in almost any other ski area around the world.

Fernie frequently has the deepest snowpack in the Rockies and you’ll become accustomed to waking up to the sound of the mountain patrol’s avalanche bombs and a foot of fresh snow on the doorstep! In short, epic powder days are plentiful!

To read more information on the snowfall in Fernie and the terrain click here

THE TOWN

Fernie is not only famous for its powder conditions but also for its exceptionally friendly atmosphere and welcoming locals. The laid-back environment rubs off almost immediately on even the most stressed out souls and on returning from Fernie, you spend your first few days back home saying hello to everybody.

Downtown Fernie is 2 km from the ski hill and offers an excellent selection of fine restaurants, bars, coffee shops, clothes and ski/ boarding shops, spas, a swimming pool with whirlpool and waterslides, ice skating rink, museum, gym and much more. Unlike most North American towns, Fernie has many fine heritage buildings and the main street, 2nd Ave, in particular has some beautiful ‘western style’ architecture.

To read more information on the history of Fernie click here

For those of you who fall in love with Fernie and never want to leave, the locals swear that the summer season is even better, with activities such as white-water rafting, canoeing, hiking, golf and fly fishing in abundance. The popular local saying in Fernie is ‘I came for the snow, but stayed for the summer’. We strongly recommend a trip here in summer or Autumn.

For more information on Fernie please visit our website