Archive for category: News

Fernie is famous for its epic powder days and big mountain skiing, but don’t let that put you off the resort if you or one of your family members is just starting out as a skier or snowboarder.

Fernie Lodging Company’s guide to the best intermediate blue trails in each bowl will ensure that you still see the best of the mountain, even if you don’t want to tackle black runs or mogul fields.

1. All the way home – Falling Star (Siberia Bowl)
Falling Star takes you from the top of the Timber Chair, right to the bottom of the mountain.
There are usually ungroomed areas at the side of the trail, so it’s a good trail to take if you are skiing with someone who isn’t ready to tackle powder yet, as they can stick to the groomer while you shred some freshies.
Keep up your speed for the long traverse at the bottom.

2. All the way down – Polar Circus to Currie Powder to Diamond Back to the base (Currie bowl)
Thanks to the new Polar Peak lift, which opened in 2012, you can ski the most vertical in the Canadian Rockies at 3550 vertical feet.
The Polar Peak chair sets you down at the summit of the Lizard Range, giving a view across to Lake Koocanusa, to Glacier National Park in Montana and as far as Kananaskis National Park in Alberta on a clear day.
The intermediate blue trail Polar Circus takes you all the way down from the summit to the famous Currie Powder trail, a beautiful powder trap.
Continue to the blue/green Diamond Back to return to the base of Fernie Alpine Resort.

3. Worth the hike for the trees – Milky Way (Timber Bowl)
This trail requires some effort to get to it – but is worth the grunt for wide-spaced trees set on a ridge that catches wind-sifted powder even several days after a snow storm.
From the top of the White Pass Chair, head down Shakey’s Acres on skier’s right. After a traverse you will come to Milky Way – a short hike up to the top will reward you with a fun ski down the gladed tree run.

4. Worth the traverse – Cascade (Lizard Bowl)
Finding Cascade is as simple as ABC – turn left after you get off the Bear Chair, and start traversing – the first trail you pass is Arrow, the second is Bow, the third is Cascade.
Cascade is a wide, undulating trail that catches great powder after a snowstorm and stays soft no matter what.
If you enjoy it, do a lap of the Bear Chair and try Arrow, Bow or the fourth trail, Dancer.

5. Too good to pick just one – Cruiser, Cedar Centre, Trillium, Blueberry (Cedar Bowl)
These trails all come off the Cedar High Traverse from the top of Bear Chair, and are all wide, open trails with great views across the valley. Simply get going and drop in when you are tired of traversing.

Fernie Lodging Company’s special last minute savings!

Get your 3rd night 50% OFF or Stay 6 / Pay 4 this Spring
Call Toll Free 1.800.667.9911 to book direct

Fernie Lodging Company Booking Terms & conditions apply.
Based on availability.
Valid for new, direct bookings only & not combinable with any other offer.
Valid for Timberline Lodges,Snow Creek Lodge, Polar Peak Lodges and Thunder Ridge Chalets
Spring season defined as March 1st 2012 – April 30th 2012
Quarter or full ownership shares of Juniper Lodge are now available from $59,900.

Find out more!
Visit the Fernie Vacation Properties real estate mountain office at the Timberline Lodges open from 1 to 5 pm Friday and Saturday.

Juniper Lodge Open House Event dates – Saturday March 24th, 2012 from 3 to 6 pm at #644 Juniper Lodge, Timberline Lodges.

Polar Peak Lodges Open House Event dates – Saturday March 31st,  2012 from 3 to 6 pm at #26 Polar Peak Lodges.

If you are a gear hound or are keen to find out what the major ski companies have got in store for us next season, you should be hanging around the Ski Canada Magazine test pit in Fernie next week.

The magazine’s 33rd annual Ski Canada test will be held at Fernie Alpine Resort from March 19-23. Ski Canada also celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, which is the 50th anniversary of Fernie Alpine Resort.

The annual ski test brings together a team of ski professionals whose task is to ski the forthcoming season’s skis in as many different terrains, ski conditions and styles as possible.

The results will be published in Ski Canada’s annual ski guide next season.

Check out this list of skis submitted for testing – categories are park and pipe, powder, easy cruising, slalom, on-piste cruisers, big mountain, adventure all mountain and expert all mountain and the companies include Atomic, Black Crows, Blizzard, Dynastar, DPS, Elan, Fischer, Head, K2, Kastle, Nordica, Ogasaka, Rossignol. Salomon and Volkl.

Ski Canada Magazine editor Iain Mcmillan joins former Skiing Magazine editor Mike Berard for a opanel discussion on ski print media from 5-6pm at Fernie Seniors Centre next Thursday, March 22.

If you’re tempted to come to Fernie for a sneak preview of the 2013 skis, remember Fernie Lodging Company’s special last minute savings!

Get your 3rd night 50% OFF or Stay6 / Pay4 this Spring
Call Toll Free 1.800.667.9911 to book direct

Fernie Lodging Company Booking Terms & conditions apply.
Based on availability.
Valid for new, direct bookings only & not combinable with any other offer.
Valid for Timberline Lodges,Snow Creek Lodge, Polar Peak Lodges and Thunder Ridge Chalets
Spring season defined as March 1st 2012 – April 30th 2012

If you are intrigued about how Fernie Alpine Resort went from being a not-for-profit community-run ski hill to being one of Canada’s top ski resorts in 50 years, you should pay a visit to Fernie Museum’s Power of Powder exhibition this winter.

Fernie Alpine Resort is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, and the community  of Fernie community has organized a number of events

Fernie Museum’s Power of Powder exhibition, which will be on display until April 2012, uses photos, video, ski memorabilia and oral histories, to tell the stories of the people who helped Fernie grow into the international ski destination it is today.

Ryan Radchenko of Powder Highway Productions produced the Power of Powder film about the ski hill’s story, winning him the people’s choice award at the Fernie Mountain Film Festival. The movie can be viewed at the museum as part of the display.

March 18-24 is officially Ski Heritage Week in Fernie, with a number of events to inform, entertain and reminisce about ski days gone by.

Highlights are:

Wednesday, March 21
Free Classic Ski Film Night at the Vogue Theatre in Downtown Fernie (Open to public)

Thursday, March 22
Ski industry panel discussions 4-6pm at the Fernie Seniors Centre, 562 Third Ave – open to everyone.
• The history of catskiing in Fernie with Doug Feely, CEO of Island Lake Resort Group and Kim Sedrovic – owner, Fernie Wilderness Adventures
• The history of snow safety in the Southern Canadian Rockies with Dave Aikens snow safety consultant
• The future of print ski media with Iain McMillan of Ski Canada Magazine, Mike Berard of Skiing Magazine and Krista Turcasso of Claris Media.

Friday, March 23
Ski industry panel discussions 4-5pm at the Fernie Seniors Centre, 562 Third Ave – open to everyone.

• History of ski development in BC and the future of mountain living towns – Al Raine, mayor, Sun Peaks Resort Municipality
• Building brands for the future – Sheldon Decosse, Decosse Custom Skis and Mitch Scott, Publisher, Kootenay Mountain Culture magazine
Friday night – street party in downtown Fernie!

Saturday, March 24

• Telemark Ski Events at Fernie Alpine Resort

• Ski Heritage Week Celebrations at Fernie Alpine Resort including a Torchlight Run, Fireworks & Ski Heritage Party in the Griz Bar!

1. Ski all five bowls

There is something for every skier in Fernie Alpine Resort’s five bowls – Timber Bowl for fans of steep tree skiing, Currie Bowl for powder hounds, Lizard Bowl for mellow trees and wide trails, Cedar Bowl for moguls and trees.
It might take you more than one ski weekend to cover all that terrain – better extend your ski vacation to a week!

2. Watch a Fernie Ghostriders home game
Fernie’s community hockey team the Fernie Ghostriders is known throughout the KIJHL junior B league for having the loudest, most supportive fans.
While some junior B teams struggle to draw more than a few dozen supporters out to a home game, the Ghostriders arena regularly sees 1100 capacity crowds during ski weekend home games.
Don’t forget to get a pint of Fernie beer, a tray of poutine from the concession and a 50/50 ticket.

3. Shop in Fernie’s historical downtown
Downtown Fernie was destroyed by two wildfires in 1904 and 1908 – so the community rebuilt Victoria Avenue in brick, with a magnificent view of the Lizard Range – little knowing that a century later the street would overlook one of the top ski resorts in Canada!
Today Second Avenue has become a thriving shopping district – visit the Livery for designer homeware, Beanpod for handmade chocolate, Le Grand Fromage for fine cheeses, Bunches for gifts and Polar Peek for a wide selection of books including many on the local area.
If you want a souvenir of your ski weekend in Fernie, local artists are showcased at the Fernie Artists Co op.
You can watch a 100-year-old letterpress in action at Clawhammer Studio in the Ghostrider Trading Store and buy engraved glassware at Stephanie’s Glass.
If you need new ski gear to improve your ski weekend, check out the ski and snowboard stores including Ski Base, Commit, Straightline, Gear Hub, Edge of the World and Guides Hut.

4. Eat at Fernie’s food stores and restaurants
Fernie has enough food places to ensure you don’t have to eat in the same place twice throughout the whole of your ski vacation.
On Second Avenue, Picnic restaurant sources local products served with a Mediterranean twist, The Brickhouse bar and grill has a range of beers on draft and an extensive wine menu and The Northern serves good pub grub.
Loaf Bakery, near the highway, sells fresh bread and pastries handmade in their Fernie kitchens, fresh sandwiches and salads and Italian-style pizzas.

5. Snowshoe or XC ski
Get another perspective on Fernie – put on a pair of snowshoes or cross country skis and tackle one of the many trails that run up, down, across and around the Elk Valley.
You should ask Fernie Lodging Company’s guest services for advice on the best trail to suit your group’s ability and the time available on your ski weekend.
You can rent snowshoe or cross country ski equipment at Fernie’s ski stores.