Every year around 9 meters (29 feet) of deep powdery snow settle in Fernie’s many wide mountain bowls, delighting skiers and making snowboarders rave. The terrain ranges from wide and easy green runs to daredevil chutes into lightly-wooded intermediate-level bowls where, on weekdays, you can often still find untracked powder snow at the end of the day.

Fernie claims the longest ski season in the BC Rockies, yet the resort’s low altitude can make for mild temperatures and more watery snow – so visit in December and January, the coldest months, for the most reliable conditions.

Navigating Fernie’s five high alpine bowls is easy, but its many glades, gullies, chutes and couloirs could literally take weeks to explore; traversing the numerous ridges requires an inquisitive attitude and some effort.

At-a-glance

Size: 10 lifts; 142runs; 2500 acres; 1082m vertical
Location: summit 2149m; base 1068m
Style %: beginner/intermediate/expert 30/40/30
Snowfall: average annual 875cm + snowmaking
Facilities: daycare; ski school; rentals; day lodge; restaurants; cafes; bars; accommodation.

Beginner