Resort Review: Raw riding in Fernie, BC
Picking the transfer bus from Calgary and driving through The Great Plains eagerly awaiting to see the first mini peaks and the start of ‘the rockies’. I’m thinking I can’t wait to get to bed and get going in a resort I have shared a few happy weeks in previous years. Back, with more snowboarding experience under my belt I couldn’t wait to come back and tackle the ‘raw’ terrain that Fernie had to offer…
Glades for day! Fernie is a powder-lovers dream
Located on the ‘powder highway’ and known for it’s excessive snowfall or the ‘Fernie Factor’, it’s a place that is on the list of many powder hounds. The snow is dry, or classic ‘interior BC’ powder and the terrain is rough and ready. Small town charm, friendly locals, what’s not to like?
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Fernie is a classic rocky mountains working town, separate to the ski hill. If you are staying in Downtown Fernie, expect to get a shuttle or better known as the “FernieStoke Shuttle” to the hill. Limited accommodation is located at the hill. Upon arrival at the base (at 600m), you’ll notice Fernie Alpine Resort is towered over by a gigantic headwall - very prone to avalanches with ski patrol constantly doing analysis and bombing to keep it safe, but aesthetically adding to the drama and impressiveness of the terrain. Under the headwall is five skiable bowls and lift access to Polar Peak (at 2100m) Best place to start is Lizard Bowl. Some great mix of groomed and easy going glades.
The Downtown Fernie Charm with an impressive backdrop
FERNIE SKI AREA
With the five skiable bowls there’s plenty of variety. You’ll find that the majority of technical and steep runs occur on the Polar Peak - true alpine conditions, no trees and considerable exposure, it can sometimes be closed. However, get the chance to go up there on a clear day and you will not be disappointed. Options to take the blue that winds down the face to the left which intersects with a few blacks, or off to the right of the Polar Peak you’ll have the challange of a few double blacks.
The grading here leans towards difficult and with a bit of wind can make the runs hard packed and icy. But right conditions will be mind-blowing with good turn after good turn. This is where you get the vert!
For the more adventurous type the resort has some great inbounds hikes leading to some great glades and tree runs, try Snake Ridge in Cedar bowl (far right on a trail map) which will be a 10 minute easy bootpack. Can be steep in places and sometimes go into a compression at the bottom (I’m a fallen victim of this compression) Whatever route you take down you’ll be picked up by a cat track leading to the Haul Back T-Bar.
Fernie’s dramatic headwall from the base
Morning Glory is one tick off if you are first to it on a dump day. Bewarned it can get tracked out quickly. Alternatively on the rare occasion the headwall hike, Face Lift is open is definitely something to be experienced. It’s a 20-30 minute bootpack With avi conditions very volatile on the headwall, it’s seldomly open.
The glades of Fernie, choose tight trees or spaced out
Fernie has a terrain park made up of rails and boxes. No kickers here, however lets face it, we’re not in Fernie for the parks. There’s plenty of side hits and natural terrain to keep the practising freestyler happy too.
What I love about Fernie…
The raw, real Canadian feel, the amazing snowfall, terrain variety, buzzing town with great food spots and bars. I would even consider it uncrowded, even at weekends when the city dwellers of Calgary come down.
What I dislike about Fernie…
Hard to say really, if I’m being picky there is not much in terms of groomers to please the leisurely skier although everywhere is accessible by a groomed run. Check the grooming report at the base.
The Face Lift bootlick with Fernie in the Distance
FERNIE GALLERY
Travel to resort
Nearest international airport is Calgary and there are shuttle buses that run daily to Fernie and back. Cranbrook is a notable close town with a domestic airport.
Hidden Gems
A traverse left across the top Currie Bowl from the Whitepass Chair will bring you to Corner Pocket, a double black run involving an abseil down the other side into Lizard Bowl. Once down, you can take the run down or traverse out as much as you please to score the goods. The abseil and traverse puts a lot of people off and you can get many a good turn.
For really decent Japanese try Yamagoya Sushi. Soft Shell Crab with a cold Asahi is the one at the end of a great day.
Accommodation
I stayed at the Red Tree Lodge in Downtown. Really friendly staff and team and the bus stops right outside. 10 - 15 minute walk into the town and supermarket.
I would recommend this place for…
Powder lovers who want to ride different terrain every day.
White Pass into Timber Bowl, with an inversion
Thanks to Kate for sharing this post. If you want to learn more about Kate go give her a follow.
A Guide To Snowboarding In Canada
Snowboarding in Canada has everything from wild mountain ranges to small local ski hills. British Columbia offers opportunities to ride some thigh burning terrain in some of the best powder conditions on the planet! Head across the border into Alberta and you will find colder temps and longer seasons set amongst the incredible back drop of the Rockies. Further East Ontario plays host to Blue Mountain the playground of Toronto and Quebec has the charming resort of Mont Tremblant. Whatever you are searching for, Canada has you covered with; amazing scenery, friendly hospitality and insane snowfall that combine for an epic ski trip.
Photo Credit @ameliasp8
Snowboarding in Canada is world renowned with many international guests heading back year on year. Why? Well it could be the beautiful mountain landscapes or the world class facilities at major Canadian ski resorts. Maybe it is the tree skiing that seems endless amongst the numerous towering evergreens. For me, it boils down to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere created by locals and the quiet resorts away from the crowds. Snowboarding in Canada can be glitz and glam but it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of resorts where with the insane amounts of snowfall is beggars belief that there are no lift lines!
CANADIAN SKI RESORTS IN BC
British Columbia is home to some of Canada’s best in resort and backcountry skiing and of course Canada’s largest ski resort Whistler Blackcomb. Whistler is Canadas most popular resort with more guests than any other mountain. The terrain at Whistler has it all and Whistler’s proximity to Vancouver is a leading factor in what makes Whistler ski resort so popular.
Known for the Powder Highway, interior BC is home to some serious freeride resorts; Kicking Horse, Panorama, Revelstoke, Red Mountain, Fernie and Whitewater. The only thing more legendary than the terrain at these resorts is the snow record. The snowfall in this area of BC is a major contributor to why there are so many successful cat-skiing and heli-skiing operators. The most famous of which is probably Baldface Lodge, host to the Supernatural snowboard competition.
Big White, Sun Peaks, Silverstar and Kimberley ski resorts make up the remainder of BC’s offering. These resorts, although less extreme than the other mentioned should not be overlooked. There is great terrain at each of these resorts, especially if you love tree skiing.
Photo Credit @themcny
CANADIAN ALBERTA SKI RESORTS
If you can brave the colder temperatures a trip into Alberta will not disappoint. The most popular resorts in Alberta are situated in the town of Banff and form the Ski Big 3. Sunshine Village, Lake Louise and Mt Norquay all offer something a little different. Norquay is often spoken of as a first day of your holiday ski resort, go to Norquay to rediscover your ski legs. Lake Louise is probably the most scenic ski resort in Canada. A modern ski area with fantastic facilities, Lake Louise is situated a 45minute drive outside of Banff. Mostly an intermediate mountain you may wish to head to Sunshine Village to get your thrills. The final offering of the Ski Big 3 in Banff is Sunshine Village. Sunshine is home to Delerium Dive, a dedicated off-piste area with steeps and drops.
Leaving Banff and heading along the Icefields Parkway, one of the worlds most scenic drives, you will come across Marmot Basin. A bit of a secret and weekend playground for the people of Edmonton. If you hit Marmot ski resort during the week it is likely that you will have the lifts to yourself. Castle Mountain is another ski resort in Alberta worth considering visiting. Castle Mountain is home to an inbounds cat skiing operation.
View from Marmot Basin
CANADIAN ONTARIO AND QUEBEC SKI RESORTS
Similar to the East Coast of the USA, Canada’s East Coast is home to ski resorts for the brave. Cold conditions and less snowfall mean that it’s easy to forget about the resorts of Ontario and Quebec. Mont Tremblant and Blue Mountain have good reputations but it is hard to justify heading to the East Coast with what is on offer out West. If you were to venture East Mont Tremblant ski resort is unique with its bright buildings, Quebecoise architecture cobbled walkways. The village at Mt Tremblant does put everything within easy reach and proves popular amongst East-Coasters.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHEN CAN YOU SNOWBOARD IN CANADA?
The majority of Canadian ski areas run their winter operations between November through to April. Some resorts like Marmot Basin in Alberta have longer seasons into May. Most years it is possible to ski on the glacier at Whistler Blackcomb through the summer in June and July!
WHAT IS THE BEST SNOWBOARDING RESORT IN CANADA?
Very much an opinion orientated question but here it goes. Whistler is consistently voted as being the best resort in Canada. I can see why with its facilities and terrain, but with that you also get expense and lift queues. Canada is privileged in that it has a number of incredible ski resorts without the reputation that Whistler has. For me, this potentially leads to a better resort experience.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO SNOWBOARD IN CANADA?
Very much a variable answer depending on where you ski but lets take a simplified look at lift tickets. If you take the daily lift ticket price at the following popular Canadian ski resorts and average the prices the cost of a days skiing in Canada is CAD$104.67
Big White ( CAD$89), Blue Mountain ( CAD$63). Fernie ( CAD$134), Kicking Horse ( CAD$124), Red Mountain ( CAD$118), Sun Peaks ( CAD$105), Whitewater ( CAD$99.75)
CANADA SKI RESORT SNOW RECORD
Canadian ski areas get copious amounts of snow throughout the winter season. The Powder highway resorts of Whitewater, Revelstoke and Fernie receive an average of over 9m of snow each! Much more than this the powder that falls in this area is dry and fluffy meaning every flake should be savoured. On the coast of BC, Whistler receives the most snow with over 10m of average snowfall. Being on the coast, the snow can occasionally be heavy. In contrast Mont Tremblant on the East Coast receives just under 4m of average snowfall per winter.
WHY SNOWBOARD IN CANADA
Well if those snow record statistics didn’t entice you into a Canadian ski trip I am not sure what else will. For me a trip to Canada is all about the laid back resort towns, no lift lines and fantastic tree skiing.
MULTI RESORT PASSES CANADA
Unless you have been buried under a rock for the past few years, you will have heard of both the Ikon and the Epic Pass. There is some debate over whether these season passes are a good or bad thing for the ski industry in North America.
From a selfish standpoint I used the Epic pass for a season that allowed me to ski in the US, Japan, Europe and i’d planned a Australia trip (before Covid curtailed that idea). That is well… pretty Epic. To be able to ski across a number of resorts in different countries and continents is a unique. The Epic and Ikon are great for being able to access a number of resorts at what I deem to be a pretty reasonable price.
Sadly, these passes also come with a large downside. Crowds. The Epic and Ikon passes have encouraged more people to purchase season passes and have raised the profile of a number of resorts. The increased profile and accessibility has led to crowds, especially at peak holiday periods or weekends.
Although many locals view Epic or Ikon as a negative, potentially bringing more crowds to the resort, these passes have also led to a huge effort to increase the quality of infrastructure. Many resorts on the passes have received upgrades to their lift system and lodges which leads to a greater overall experience.
There are a number of other combined ski passes in North America such as the Mountain Collective or Indy Pass. These tend to offer a few days skiing or snowboarding across their member resorts.
In Canada you can receive unlimited skiing or snowboard at Whistler (EPIC PASS) and Blue Mountain/MT Tremblant (IKON PASS) but other lift pass privileges are restricted to limited days.
Epic Pass allows limited access to the following Canadian ski resorts; Fernie, Kicking Horse, Kimberley, Mont Sainte Anne, Nakiska, and Stoneham.
Ikon Pass allows limited access to the following Canadian ski resorts; Revelstoke, Red Mountain Resort, and Cypress Mountain.
THE CANADIAN SKI SEASON
The ski season in the Canada runs very similar to the operating durations in Europe. Most Canadian ski resorts operate between November and April with limited operations in May. Summer operations in Canada are restricted to the glacier at Whistler Blackcomber ski resort, BC.
RESORT REVIEWS
CANADA GALLERY
CANADA VIDEOS
COST OF A CANADIAN SNOWBOARD TRIP
From a European perspective a snowboard trip to Canada makes more financial sense than a trip to the USA.In terms of flight prices you will find similar deals to the major international airports. Once in country a lot of the expenses are similar but Canadian ski resorts tend to have cheaper lift tickets than their American counterparts. The difference between a day ticket at Sun Peaks and Killington equates to £23 per day, now that is money you could be spending in the bar!