Ski The Slopes Of Fernie Alpine
Photo Credit: Henry Georgi
Surrounded by the Canadian Rockies, Fernie, British Columbia, is a town that draws in visitors with beautiful scenery and outdoor recreation. The town is known for Fernie Alpine Resort, an award winning ski resort voted “Resort of the Year” by the Good Skiing & Snowboarding Guide in 2004. Because the Canadian Rockies are known for their powder snow, ski season brings much bustle to this small town. While the summer is less busy, however, the town still brings in many visitors with mountain biking, fly fishing, golf, and many more activities.
General Fernie Information
- Population: 4,611
- City area: 16.05 square kilometers
- Elevation: 1,010 meters above sea level
- Time Zone: Mountain
- Average Annual Snowfall: 29 feet
Surrounding Mountains
- Mount Fernie
- Mount Klauer
- Mount Trinity
- Mount Procter
- Mount Hosmer
- Peaks of Lizard Range
Fernie and Fernie Alpine Resort Awards
- Fernie Alpine Resort was named “Resort of the Year” in 2004 by the Good Skiing & Snowboarding Guide.
- Fernie’s Old Elevator Restaurant & Wine Bar received the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for 2003, 2004, and 2005.
- Fernie was recognized as “The Best Ski Town Canada” by Ski Canada Magazine in 2003.
- Fernie’s The Curry Bowl was recognized as a great restaurant by the 2002-3 edition of Where to Eat in Canada.
- Fernie has been voted as “The Best Little Town in British Columbia” for two years in a row.
Casual and Fine Dining in Fernie
Common Outdoor Activities in Fernie
- Summer
- Boating
- Fishing
- Golf
- Hiking
- Kids Camps
- Mountain Biking
- Rafting
- Wildlife Viewing
- Winter
- Backcountry Travel
- Cross Country Skiing
- Ice Fishing
- Kids Camps
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Snowcats
- Snowmobiling
- Snowshoeing
- Wildlife Viewing
Fernie History
- Fernie is named after William Fernie, who helped bring mining to the town in the nineteenth century.
- The town was officially established in 1897 with the start of a coal mining economy. Coal remains to be a major source of the town’s economy today.
- The whole town of Fernie, comprised primarily of wooden buildings, was destroyed twice by fires in 1904 and then in 1908. The town was rebuilt in 1910 with brick and stone.
- Joseph Frederick Spalding, a well known photographer, devoted much of his career to photographing Fernie from 1904 to 1924.
- Skiing in Fernie became popular in the 1930s with homemade birch skis. Organized skiing began in 1947 and the Snow Valley Ski Hill opened for business in 1963. Fernie Alpine Resort was not opened until 1998.
Nearest Airports
- Cranbrook Airport (56 miles away)
- Glacier Park International Airport (117 miles away)
- Calgary International Airport (203 miles away)
Fernie Hospital and Medical Clinics
- Fernie District Hospital
- Leroux Clinic
- Rocky Mountain Health Care
- Sparling East Medical Center
