About Fernie
Fernie
offers a wide range of activities in an unparalleled natural
setting. It means an enviable lifestyle for residents and a quality
experience for visitors.
What’s
so special about Fernie? To begin with, the outdoors beckons at
every turn. Our relatively mild winters provide you with world
class skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling. During the summer
enjoy championship golf, fishing, mountain biking, or hike a trail
to the top of a mountain. There are many lakes near by where you
can enjoy a secluded picnic or cool dip.
Fernie
is known as a haven for deep snow. Storm systems develop in the
Pacific Ocean off the coast of Northern Oregon. The predominant
northeasterly flow chugs across the near desert like terrain of
central Washington and Idaho before slamming into the Lizard Range
of the Canadian Rockies. The lack of significant mountain ranges
between Fernie and the coast ensure that storms arrive with a full
payload of dry powder. This is the reason Fernie has become a haven
for deep snow enthusiasts.
In the
summer, you may find yourself fly-fishing, drift boating or
whitewater kayaking and rafting on the internationally renowned Elk
River. In addition, our local cultural network provides a wide
array of performing and visual artisans in all mediums.
This is
only a sampling of what Fernie has to offer. To understand the feel
of the place, you need only spend a short time enveloped in Fernie’s
special ambience. To begin your journey, make sure to stop by and
talk to the friendly staff at the Fernie Chamber of Commerce located
on Highway #3 & Dicken Road, or call them directly at 250-423-6868.
The Legend of the Griz
Here in Fernie, we have not always been graced
with the fine snow conditions we now enjoy. Not until recently did we
come to realize how we became the beneficiary of some of the best-packed
powder conditions in Western Canada.
As the
legend goes, a baby boy was born back in the year 1879 in the midst of a
cruel and bitter winter. It is said that the baby was born in a grizzly
bear’s cave high in the mountains. Sometime later the resident bear
awoke, mean and ravenously hungry. A terrible battle ensued between the
two… one fighting for his life and the other for his dinner.
As the story
continues the town’s people went into the mountain that very next day to
discover the source of all the noise from the previous night. They
looked high and low in the area known as Snow Valley. One day, one of
the men thought he saw a little boy wearing a bear coat and hat nimbly
leaping from rock to rock on the lofty peaks. His friends all laughed
at him and jokingly accused him of seeing things and the incident was
soon forgotten.
Just
recently some of our avid ski tourers were ascending the peaks above the
Resort Area in the midst of a heavy snowstorm. While taking a short
breather, they happened to glance upward upon the peak they were
climbing. There on the very summit stood the most fantastic sight.
While of standard height, this man had shoulders six feet wide and
carried an enormous musket eight feet long! The bulk of this man’s 300
lbs. was made to look even more awesome by the bristly grizzly coat he
wore. A bear hat was pulled down shadowing his eyes. As the skiers
watched, he stood shooting that giant musket into the clouds and still
more snow fell from the clouds. This of course, delighted the skiers
who loved that special brand of powder snow.
The skiers
schussed down the mountain and excitedly told everyone they met of their
experience. Some of the town’s elders remembered the sighting of a
little grizzly-clad boy so long ago and the discovery of massive
bare-footed tracks high upon the snow-covered peaks.
In recognition and admiration for the man who
became known as “Griz”, the town’s people held a festival all week.
Sporting events, competitions, parades and gatherings marked the gala
week. The citizen who best embodied the spirit of “Griz” through that
week made honorary Griz for the rest of the year. To this day this
festival continues every February/March in tribute to our powder king.
The best powder and packed snow conditions in the west also continue to
blanket our mountains.
Summer Activities Guide
Golf
Originally established in 1918, The Fernie
Golf & Country Club features 18 holes of mature tree-lined fairways,
rolling terrain, strategically placed water hazards and spectacular
Rocky Mountain scenery. To book tee-times call 423-7773, or call the
clubhouse at 423-4115.
Also visit the following golf courses in and
around the Fernie area:
#
holes/drive time
Fernie Golf & Country Club:
18/in town 250-423-7773
Will-O-Bend: in Jaffray
9/30 min 250-429-3377
Sparwood Golf & Country Club:
18/30 min 250-425-2612
Cranbrook Golf & Country Club:
18/1 hour 250-426-6462
Kimberley Golf & Country Club:
18/1.5 hour 250-427-4161
Trickle Creek Golf Resort:
18/1.5 hour 250-427-5171
St. Eugene Mission Resort:
18/1 hour 250-417-3417
Way-Lyn Ranch Golf Course:
9/1 hour 250-427-2825
Mountain Meadows Golf Course: 9/1
hour 250-865-7413
Mountain Biking
Experience our world-class mountain bike trails,
featuring fantastic scenery and adventures for all abilities. While
many of the trails in the Fernie area are suitable for families and
intermediate riders, there are lots of trails for the hardcore riders.
Grab a copy of the Fernie Trail Guide to see the trails that
surround the town and resort area.
Chair Lifts
(Located at Fernie Alpine Resort)
Take your bike or pack your lunch for a chair
ride to the top. There you’ll see lush alpine meadows, towered by the
majestic peaks of the Lizard Range. Call 250-423-4655 for lift times
and prices.
Hiking
Put on your hiking boots, bring some water and
hit the trail. Your choices are endless and range from a short stroll
out of town, to a day hike up Mount Hosmer, or multiday hike on Heiko’s
Trail. Pick up the Fernie Trail Guide from local retailers or
the Chamber of Commerce. Look on the book shelves up stairs for hiking
guide books.
Hiking/Biking
Alpine Enthusiasts (hikes,
trips) 250-423-7112
Fernie Alpine Resort (chairlift
rides/hiking/biking) 250-423-4655
Fernie Fattire Adventures (mountain
biking) 250-423-7849
Guides Hut
(biking/hiking/rentals)
250-423-3650
The Quest
(biking/hiking/rentals) 250-423-9252
Mountain Pursuits (guided
hiking/camping) 250-423-6739
Ski Base
(biking/hiking/rentals) 250-423-6464
Island Lake Lodge (wilderness/adventure
holidays) 250-423-3700
Elkford (call Elkford Chamber of
Commerce) 250-865-4614
Ski & See
(hiking/biking) 250-423-7367
Rafting, Canoeing and
Kayaking
The Elk and Bull Rivers provide numerous canoe
and kayak runs ranging from Class 1 to Class VI. Beginners too can give
these sports a try. Bring your own, rent or go with a guide/instructor.
You’ll experience the grandeur of the Canadian
Rockies while you raft thrilling whitewater, or gently float down the
river.
Canyon Raft Tours
(whitewater/scenic) 250-423-7226
Mountain High River Adventures
(rafting/kayaking) 250-423-5008
Pro-Fish Guiding (scenic
floats/guides) 250-423-3526
Tennis
Courts are located at both Fernie Alpine Resort
and in town at Mountain View Park.
Fishing
The Elk River and its many tributaries offer
world-class fly-fishing, while the backcountry offers some great alpine
lakes for float-tube enthusiasts. You’ll marvel at the Bass, Brook,
Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout that fill these waterways.
Kootenay Fly Shop
(fly-fishing)
250-423-4483
Elk Valley Fly
Fishing 250-423-7264
Pro-Fish
Guiding 250-423-3526
Fernie Wilderness Adventures (guided
fly-fishing) 250-423-6704
Lost Creek
Angling 250-423-7517
Island Lake Lodge
(fly-fishing) 250-423-3700
Alpine Enthusiasts
(fishing/hikes) 250-423-7112
Prestige
Tours
800-622-5007
250-423-9284
Swimming
Fernie Aquatic Centre, 250 Pine
Avenue 250-423-4466
2 indoor pools, water
slide, hot tub and steam room
For an outdoor splash, enjoy one of the many
lakes that surround the area.
Surveyors Lake
Silver springs
Swimming hole behind Extra Foods
Horseback Riding/Llama
Trekking
Mountain Magic Ventures (horseback
riding) 250-423-7321
Cokato Llama Adventures
(llama trekking)
250-423-3097
Alpine Enthusiasts (horseback
riding/hikes/outfitting) 250-423-7112
Kids Summer Camps
For more information, call the Chamber of
Commerce at 250-423-6868 or
Fernie Alpine Resort at 250-423-4655.
Parks and Camping
Annex Park winds its way along the Elk
River and has a large duck pond, BBQ pits, picnic area and horseshoe
pits. From here you can walk along the dyke to Mountain View Park in
the Airport subdivision.
Mountain View Park provides riverbank fun
including swimming, tennis courts, lawn bowling, horseshoe/bocci/BBQ
pits, ball fields and picnic areas.
Rotary Park is the most centrally located
of all the parks in Fernie. Enjoy a family picnic or a BBQ while the
young ones enjoy the playground.
Mt. Fernie Provincial Park has camping and
is only minutes from downtown Fernie. The area is home to a wide
variety of wildlife, flora and fauna. A special attraction in the park
is the 3km of self-guided Lizard Creek Nature Trail. Amenities include
38 spaceous campsites, flush toilets, interpretive trails and day use
area.
Fernie Alpine Resort offers 27 seasonal
and 12 campsites for daily, weekly or monthly use. All sites have
electrical hook-ups and the guests have use of the public washrooms with
showers located in the maintenance building.
Miscellaneous
Largest Dump Truck ever manufactured
(Sparwood) 250-425-2423
Bird Watching (see Chamber for tour
information) 250-423-6868
Winter Activities
Fernie Alpine
Resort
Beginners
The Mini Moose
and Mighty Moose lifts are the place to start-off “first
timers”. The lift staff will assist the beginners onto the lifts and
once at the top there are nice gentle slopes. Both of these lifts are
conveniently located near the ski base facilities. The Deer and
Elk Chair also access wide-open daily groomed slopes; perfect for
those ready to take the next step.
Intermediates
The runs off
Elk Chair are great to warm up your ski legs before heading over to
the Boomerang Chair which leads you to Cedar Bowl. The Great
Bear Express Quad together with the Face Lift will lead you
to another vast area called Lizard Bowl. The high speed Timber Bowl
Express and White Pass Quad will take you to the new side of
the mountain and introduce you to even more exciting terrain.
Experts
You will love
this mountain! Powder, Glades, Steeps, Bumps… you want it, you’ll find
it!
Snowboarding
In short, you’ll
have unlimited access to one of nature’s greatest terrain parks with
2500+ acres of snow-covered mountains.
Cross-Country
Over 14km of
groomed and track-set cross-country trails await you, starting from the
resort base area. Get your map at Guest Services and make sure to take
a breather at Halfway Hobbit’s Hut.
Mountain
Host Tour
Not to be missed
is a complimentary guided mountain tour with Fernie’s local volunteer
“Snow Hosts”. Tours depart daily from the base area at 9:30am and
1:30pm. Nothing beats a true insider’s perspective of this vast
mountain.
Ski & Snowboard School
Fernie Alpine
Resort’s certified staff offers professional instruction in alpine
skiing, snowboarding, telemark and cross-country. Various packages are
available from private to group lessons. Some packages include rental,
lift passes, NASTAR races, video analysis and après ski receptions. For
more information/bookings call the Lesson and Group Sales office on
250-423-4655 or fax 250-423-6644.
