Fernie is legendary among Canadian ski resorts for its awesome snow, 29 feet a season, and diverse, challenging terrain.
In the last couple of years major investment in both the ski area and the on-mountain village has made it a growing international ski holiday destination, although it is still a firm favourite with the local population.
High up, Currie, Timber, Siberia, Lizard and Sierra Bowls have wide-open skiing above the tree line. Beneath them, the pistes tumble down amongst the trees towards the village, providing plenty of variety for all levels of skier. For those looking for some famous Canadian powder, Fernie is a good bet.
There has been plenty of high-quality on-mountain accommodation and several older properties which offer good value for money. For those on a tighter budget there is a motel and hotel-type accommodation in the town of Fernie 5kms down the road.
The on-mountain village is not big, but there are a handful of restaurants and a bar or two, with more to try in town. There is a ski shuttle service, although a rental car is good idea, and 4x4's are recommended.
Cat skiing - Fernie is a good place to sample off-piste backcountry terrain. Fernie Wilderness Adventures offer day cat-skiing trips from the resort which can be pre-booked as part of your holiday.
Longer stays - Although Fernie's name has spread across the world, the on-mountain 'village' is still fairly small. Keep this in mind if you are planning a longer stay.
Ski Kimberley - Make use of the fact that the Fernie lift pass is also valid at Kimberley. Details of buses to Kimberley are available in the resort.
Ski the Powder Highway
There is a transfer on Wednesdays between the 16 January and 26 March linking the following resorts: Panorama, Kimberley and Fernie. This enables you to ski 2 or more resorts (depending on the length of your stay) without the need to hire a car.