Fernie

Resort description:Representing excellent value for money, Fernie enjoys some of the best powder in the Rockies.  An amazing 348 inches (884 cm) of natural snow blankets the five alpine bowls nestled in the majestic limestone cliffs of the lizard range.  There are extensive backcountry possibilities and much of the mountain is given over to advanced skier bowls and double black diamonds.
 
Fernie is the fastest-growing resort in Canada, and was awarded the Most Improved Resort of the Year 2003. The snow conditions and friendly Canadian welcome ensure that the resort is likely to win more awards in the future. Over 100 uncrowded trails and extensive piste grooming are two of the reasons Fernie has become so popular in recent years—get here soon if you want to experience it before commercial success takes over.

Day road trips or overnight trips to other ski areas include Kimberley (85 minutes), Schweitzer (3 hours), Panorama (2 hours), Banff (4 hours), Big Mountain (2 hours), and Red Mountain (4 hours). There’s a shuttle service from Fernie to Kimberley every Thursday, and the Canadian Rockies Connector Service operates on Saturdays between Fernie, Kimberley, Panorama and Banff/Lake Louise Resorts.
 
Fernie has 2,504 acres (about 200km)) of skiable terrain with 10 lifts accessing 106 trails and five bowls.It has an extensive beginner area at the base of the mountain and increasingly more difficult terrain on the upper mountain. The vertical drop of 2,812 feet (857 m) means that it is a great place for snowboarders of all levels, and learning to board here is comparatively easy as there isn’t too much traversing to be done. The majority of the trails are for intermediate to advanced skiers, with higher altitude powder skiing for experts, for which it is famous. 
 
In Fernie there is a wide selection of hotels, motels, hostels, and bed & breakfast places, to suit almost any budget as well as chalets (fully catered or self catered, on and off the mountain), and houses to rent.
 
Many new, tastefully appointed hotels and lodges with year-round services are now available at the resort base village, with more developments to come over the next few years. At present there are around a dozen or so hotels in the resort including the award-winning Lizard Creek Lodge which is a ski-in, ski-out luxury condominium/hotel featuring fine dining, spa, pool and all amenities.
 
Après-Ski
 
At the resort there’s only one après ski bar, the Grizzly Bar in the Daylodge, with live music at weekends.
 The minimum age for consuming alcohol is 19 and children cannot accompany parents in bars and other places serving alcohol.You can also choose from over 20 restaurants and numerous bars in downtown Fernie, five minutes’ drive away. Several new restaurants have opened, including The Curry Bowl and the award-winning The Wood Restaurant, which was awarded the 2003 Resort Restaurant of the Year. Bars tend to close at around 2:00 am. El Dorado, the only dance bar in the town, is located below the Wood Restaurant .

Resort Information

Season 	            Nov-Late April
Nearest Airport     Calgary (3.5 hours)
Ski Area 	    220km
Ski Lifts 	    10
Ski Runs 	    62
Longest Run 	    5km
Resort Height 	    1068m

Snowball Ratings

Beginners 	    3 / 5
Intermediates 	    4 / 5
Experts 	    3.5 / 5
Families 	    4 / 5
Nightlife 	    4 / 5
Affordability 	    4 / 5
Non Ski Activities  4 / 5