Fernie Alpine Resort Ski Vacation Guide

The British Columbian Rockies offer some of the deepest snow and greatest slopes in all of North America. The Fernie Alpine resort is smack in the middle of the Rockies and gets a whopping 29 feet of blissful powder each year.

Ski Levels

Fernie is regularly listed among the top 10 resorts in North America and with its wide variety of trails, 102 in total, as well as snowshoeing, dogsledding, cross-country skiing and snowboarding, not to mention all of the activities especially for kids, a ski experience at Fernie will be like none other. The resort offers five bowls, more than any other resort in the Rockies, excellent tree and glade skiing, and an impressive number of trails ranging from first-timer runs to electrifying steeps and chutes. Its recent improvements to the terrain park make it a big draw for freestyle skiers. Plus, the bountiful après ski activities just for kids and families make it an ideal family vacation destination. There is an impressive and renowned ski school at Fernie that offers a wide array of ski lessons all taught by highly trained professionals.

Après Ski

Dining and shopping is also plentiful at Fernie Alpine Resort. There are nearly ten mountain restaurants located slope side or guests can venture to the nearby town of Fernie. The resort mountain towers over the quaint mountain town and visitors can clearly see the bowls from Main Street. Some of the fun attractions in the area are sleigh rides combined with a cowboy-style dinner, ice fishing, hiking, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and dogsledding. The Adventure Center at Fernie offers many things for kids and families to do like geo-caching scavenger hunts and more. The huge natural snowfalls and stunningly dramatic scenery help make this area a winter lover’s dream come true.

Après ski and nightlife at Fernie Alpine ski resort is typically child and family friendly and features many activities designed to keep its guests busy. There are several lounges and bars which oftentimes feature live entertainment and great atmosphere. There is night skiing available for insatiable skiers. Moonlight snowmobile tours are also available and a wonderfully romantic way to spend the evening.

Fernie Alpine Resort Snowboard Vacation Guide

Riders Guide

Fernie Alpine Resort is known for its five alpine bowls, which makes it the most bowl skiing available anywhere in the Rockies. With over 2,500 skiable acres and a vertical drop of over 2800 feet, Fernie is great for the advanced and expert skier. Tree skiing and 102 clearly marked trails mean you can never get bored on the slopes. About 30% of the slopes are designed for each beginner and advanced skiers and 40% are designed for the intermediate skier. There are 10 lifts, including two high-speed quads, two quads, two triple chairlifts, a T-bar, a tow, a platter and a conveyor. These lifts can transport a whopping 13,700 skiers per hour. The best beginner trails are the Mini Moose and the Mighty Moose. The Cedar Bowl and Lizard Bowl offer some intermediate skiing while experts can enjoy things like the First Tracks Club, glades, steeps and jumps.

Parks and Pipes

Fernie Alpine resort offers a half pipe and a terrain park with a 24’ mailbox, kink boxes, a house box and a wide variety of rails. Improvements have been planned this year for the RCR Rail Park that includes new rails and boxes and a more progressive field to help people go from novice to expert rider.

Out of Bounds

Fernie Alpine resort overlooks the city of Fernie, where you can enjoy a variety of dining, attractions, shopping and more. Fernie’s Mountain Adventure Center offers a variety of activities day and night. Guests can indulge in a moonlit snowmobile tours, or go snowshoeing, dogsledding, enjoy night skiing and cross-country skiing on over 14 km of trails. There are also sleigh ride tours that include an authentic cowboy dinner.

Hangout & Hookup

For après ski at Fernie Alpine resort guests can enjoy the laid back atmosphere in the lodge or in the nearby town of Fernie. Pubs and lounges are plentiful and feature lots of live entertainment, locally brewed beers and wines and a variety of great bar food and grilled mountain fare. The adventure center at Fernie Alpine Resort is a popular place for families and children after spending a day on the slopes.

The Deal

Fernie is only about 40 miles from the border of the US in southeastern British Columbia. It’s on Crowsnest Highway 3 a little over a mile from the highway and easy to get to from Calgary International Airport. Bus service, taxis and a shuttle travel back and forth from Calgary to the resort regularly.

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