Fernie
The Mountain
Highlighted in Explore Magazine as "one of Canada's best communities to live and play," Fernie is a place that residents and visitors alike are happy to keep a secret. In the winter the locals and seasonaires in town live by the '20cm Rule'; if it snows over 20cm in a night they all shut up shop, leave work and head up to the resort to play in the powder!
Snowfall
Locally referred to as 'Snow Valley,' the area boasts an incredible annual snowfall of over 29ft (875cm)
One of the highest in North America, and considering Fernie has a relatively short winter season (mid December to mid April) this means that there are more regular powder dumps than in almost any other ski area around the world. Fernie frequently has the deepest snowpack in the Rockies and you'll become accustomed to waking up to the sound of the mountain patrol's avalanche bombs and a foot of fresh snow on the doorstep! In short, epic powder days are plentiful!
"One of Canada's best communities to live and play" Explore Magazine
Fernie Resort base - (Henri Georgie)
A few of Fernie's Runs - (Robin Siggers)
Watch how good the powder is in Fernie!
The Terrain
Renowned for its 'steep and deep' conditions, Fernie has varied terrain to challenge all abilities, from demanding chutes and tree runs to mellow pitches and perfectly groomed pistes. The type of ski terrain is considerably different to that of certain European resorts. The emphasis is on off-piste skiing and snowboarding rather than the motorway pistes found elsewhere. Many of the marked runs are through gladded trees, wide bowls and long gullies offering perfect lines in the fresh powder. In addition there are also some great groomed pistes to enjoy and these are perfect for developing your carving technique and practising your instructing skills.
Fernie's rail park boasts a wide range of rails and boxes ranging from small beginner ride-on boxes to an impressive variety of rainbow rails, C rails, kinked and double kinked rails.
The resort of Fernie
Where all the snow comes from
The powder that makes Fernie a haven for deep snow enthusiasts is produced by storm systems that develop in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of northern Oregon. The predominant south westerly flow chugs across the near desert-like terrain of Central Washington and Idaho before slamming into the lizard range of the Canadian Rockies. A lack of significant mountain ranges between Fernie and the coast ensures that the storm arrives with a full payload of dry powder. Once the system reaches the Elk Valley it seems to churn like a great spinning vortex dumping powder throughout the entire area.
