Fernie:
The Powder Cache

By Becky Lomax

It’s known as a skier's hill; a place where dropping down the double black-diamond Corner Pocket chute means more than dressing in the latest ski fashions. Located in southeast British Columbia, Fernie Alpine Resort gives a taste of Canadian Rockies skiing without all the expensive glamour of the Banff resorts.

Less well known than its northern cousins, Fernie sits closer, less than an hour north of the border. Less well known also means fewer crowds and more intimate surroundings. But it's not small, not at 2504 acres. Nor is it behind the times. With new high-speed lifts replacing steep T-bars, Fernie is now an easier place to ski while gaining a fast reputation as one of the region's best powder caches.

Known for its deep snows, on average 29 feet per winter, Fernie has one of the largest avalanche-control programs in North America to keep the resort safe for skiers. It frequently sees overnight snowfalls of 4 inches and sometimes dumps of knee-deep powder. On big-snow days, the lift lines swell in early morning when most of the town calls in "sick" for work. "On my first ski there, my buddy dropped into Cedar Bowl and disappeared. The snow was that deep," says Steve Hill, one of those visiting skiers who can shoot down Corner Pocket.

In the past 10 years, Fernie upgraded its lifts. Two of them are high-speed quads, zipping skiers and snowboarders to high powder draping the Lizards, a ridge of limestone that looks like a stegosaurus spine. In 2818 vertical feet, Fernie plunges wide-groomed cruiser runs from five large off-piste powder bowls. From the ridge between Currie and Lizard Bowls, steep chutes, like Corner Pocket, attract those who want to test their mettle.

This past winter, the resort opened its new Lost Boys Cafe at the top of their Timber Bowl Express lift. Thousands of feet up, perched like an aerie, the restaurant is the scenic place to dine on hot gourmet stuffed potatoes or just warm up with an eagle-eye view. Rugged peaks sweep from fingertip-close into the distance.

Fernie is a Canadian Rockies treat with what you'd expect in stunning scenery, and it’s also one powder cache that pleases real skiers.

Fernie Alpine Resort sits on Canada Highway 3 just outside the city of Fernie. Drive 3 miles west of the city to reach the signed turnoff and follow the road nearly a mile to the resort. Lifts run 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. mid-December through April. (205-423-4655; www.skifernie.com)

Northwest Travel Magazine November/December 2007