Discover the ultimate skiing and snowboarding experience at Fernie Alpine Resort. Nestled in British Columbia and close to the Alberta border, this resort is one of our favourites to snowboard. Why? The mountain boasts a diverse range of terrain that caters to everyone from beginners to seasoned experts. Experience it all from powder-filled landscapes, five expansive alpine bowls, exhilarating tree runs, and ample beginner terrain for those starting their downhill journey.
Our comprehensive guide to Fernie Alpine resort will give you the essential information to plan an unforgettable vacation snowboarding and skiing in Fernie with your family.
Guide to Planning an Epic Vacation Snowboarding and Skiing in Fernie
Skip Ahead
My Experience Snowboarding in Fernie
Purchasing Lift Passes for Fernie Alpine Resort
Best Terrain to Snowboard and Ski at Fernie Alpine Resort
Things To Do and Places to Eat
Where to stay at Fernie Alpine Resort
Full Disclosure: Our family was hosted by Fernie Alpine Resort. All views and opinions are our own.
My experience snowboarding in Fernie, BC with my family
I was a born and raised Saskatchewan prairie girl that developed a deep passion for snowboarding. The prairie hills allowed me to learn how to snowboard and I fueled my passion by purchasing snowboard magazines. I did this all with the dream that someday I would find myself carving through powder in the mountains.
When I was 13 years old, my dream came true when my family took a winter vacation to Fernie Alpine Resort. Instantly I was captivated by the sheer beauty of Fernie and its unforgettable, powder-filled slopes. Since that experience, it is not only a snowy playground that I absolutely love; it’s a place full of memories. Fernie is the first place I ever went snowboarding in the mountains, the place where my husband, Cam, and I kicked off our epic tandem snowboarding adventures pre-kids, the first mother-daughter vacation with my eldest daughter, and now the spot where I brought the entire family experience the magic of Fernie.
About Fernie Alpine Resort
We have Griz to thank for Fernie’s impressive annual snowfall. According to local lore, Fernie wasn’t always blessed with an abundant powder. Legend has it that a baby known as Griz, born in a grizzly bear’s den in 1879, charmed the snow to descend from the heavens.
100 years later, Galloway Lumber generously donated the land for the resort in 1962, and with the dedicated efforts of numerous volunteers, Fernie Alpine Resort was born. Now, the resort boasts an impressive annual snowfall average of 37 feet across 2500 acres of skiable terrain with six chairlifts sprawled across the mountain. Tailored for all skill levels, the resort includes two beginner-friendly chairlifts, five alpine bowls for intermediate and advanced riders, and the Polar Peak Express chair offering access to challenging double and triple black runs.
The surrounding development has given rise to a variety of amenities at Fernie Alpine Resort, including multiple restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, and on-site accommodations. During our latest visit, our family not only relished the skiing experience but also appreciated the convenience of direct-to-lift access from our accomodations.
Purchasing Lift Passes for Fernie Alpine Resort
There are a variety of ways to buy lift passes for Fernie Alpine Resort. You can buy passes at the resort or find a deal beforehand.
Skip ahead to discounted deals at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Purchasing Tickets at Fernie Alpine Resort
If you purchase ahead of time online and plan to buy more than 2 tickets, you can receive discounts at the resort.
Day passes cost $140-$150 depending on the date. Buying 2 to 20 lift pass days will give you up to 7% discount. If you purchase more than 21 days then you can receive a days15% discount.
Save a small percentage by purchasing half day tickets and start riding at 12:30 pm.
For Beginners: If you plan on only riding the Moose Beginner area for a day or more then the cost is only $33.95 for adults and free for kids under the age of 17.
Special kid’s passes: Children in Grade 2 can opt for a season pass for $20. Kids 5 and under are $20 for a season pass.
Buy day passes at the resort here.
Season passes: Season passes go on sale in the spring/summer every year. Current prices can be found here.
Here is a list of discounted passes through various programs:
Kids Discounted Grade 2 pass for $20.
RCR Rockies Card: Ski the 1st, 4th, and 7th day for free pass
Epic Pass: Up to 7 days free at RCR Resorts, then 50% off single day lift tickets.
Friday Friend Pass: Ski on Fridays pass and bring a friend for free.
Day Care and Lessons
At the moment of writing this, the Fernie day care is no longer functional but there are lessons for kids and adults to enjoy for all ability and skill levels.
Find Single Day Lessons, multi week programs, Christmas and spring camps and more here.
Best Terrain to Snowboard and Ski at Fernie Alpine Resort
There is so much terrain at Fernie Alpine Resort to discover. Fernie does groom most of their green runs but if you haven’t already seen me write this, Fernie has an immense amount of Powder and this can make some of the other terrain more challenging.
Here’s a quick guide, highlighting the best slopes based on your skill level and experience.
Beginners
Beginners will enjoy starting on Mighty Moose Conveyor and the Disc. The disc will take some getting used to, but the gradual slope is a great place for beginners to get a feel of their skis and snowboards.
Once you are feeling comfortable using your equipment, head over to Deer chair.
The Deer chair only goes up a small part of the mountain and all the runs except for the one directly under the chairlift are green runs. The extra length in the run will give you more time to practice snowplowing, board sliding and turning. A slightly more challenging trail, but ones that kids love, is the specific Kids Tree Trails. Our kids loved the specific kids run in the trees with the animal pictures along the trail.
After enjoying the Deer chair, make your way further up to mid mountain with the Elk Chair. After coming off the chairlift, take a right and go down the longer green run. If you take the green 91 near the bottom of the hill, you will snowboard and ski under two tunnels which can be really fun for kids. We yell while we ride through the tunnels.
Before moving further up the mountain on one of the other chairlifts, test your skills and stamina on some of the blue runs off Elk Chair before tackling the upper bowls.
Intermediate Skiers and Snowboarders
Intermediate Skiers and Snowboarders should start at Elk Quad. There are a few green and blue runs to warm up on.
Once comfortable riding down the Elk Quad, take the chairlift up Great Bear Express after taking the Elk Quad. On a powder day, enjoy riding down the Lizard Creek Bowl and the other blue runs.
For a more challenging experience, and to expand to new areas of the mountain, take the Timber Bowl Express Quad up the mountain. Here you can enjoy the Lost Boys Cafe and the surrounding vistas before tackling this side of the mountain. I recommend taking the run down to the White Pass Quad and starting the ride down from here. Snowboarders will want to avoid going to the far side of the mountain as there is a long ride out on a cat track.
Experienced Riders
Experienced Riders will enjoy exploring the five bowls around the mountain. The nice flow between slightly easier to more challenging terrain makes any of the bowls really fun when the powder is on. The tree runs tucked around the edges of the bowls are a blast to explore.
Expert Riders
Aside from enjoying the variety of terrain and the copious amounts of powder Fernie receives annually, expert riders at Fernie Alpine Resort have several options to truly push their limits. Standing out from many other resorts are the runs at the top of Polar Peak. Polar Peak is famous for the extreme triple black terrain.
Map of Fernie Alpine Resort
Fernie is a large resort! The runs on the far sides of the mountain end at long cat tracks that can be difficult for beginner and intermediate snowboarders and young kids. I always recommend looking at a map and having one on in your pocket while exploring such a large resort.
Download the Map of Fernie Alpine Resort.
Things To Do and Places to Eat
Fernie Alpine Resort does have other activities aside from skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Cross country ski trails are accessible directly from the resort on the other side of Lizard Creek Lodge. Shopping for new gear is possible at the Sports Alpine Ski and Sports Boutique directly across from guest services. The Mountain Pantry has grocery items, coffee, and candy. Other activities can also be found in and around the Town of Fernie.
Where to Eat
One of my favourite activities to do at Fernie Alpine Resort is to take the whole family up the Timber Bowl Express Quad for a scenic hot chocolate and snack at The Lost Boys Cafe. Then, we take the White Pass Quad to the top of the mountain and snowboard down. Unfortunately, not everyone will have the skill to snowboard down from this area of the mountain but their are other options for food and drink around the resort.
Located in the village area beside the main parking lot is the the Cafeteria which offers quick fast food options if you need something quick to eat before hitting the slopes again. Après is a big deal in our family and we love a great place for a drink and an appy. Griz Bar, in operation since 1962, is the ultimate destination for a chilled beverage and live music. Treat yourself to their renowned après nachos. You won’t be disappointed.
Cirque Restaurant, located in Lizard Creek Lodge has a more upscale atmosphere with views of the mountains. Also found in the Lizard Creek Lodge, the Fernie Ice Bar is an experience for adults that is not to be missed. This is an adult only vodka tasting experience. I dedicated a section below to the Ice Bar since we went and enjoyed the experience with friends.
If you have some time to explore outside of the resort, check out these activities to do in winter Fernie and some of the best restaurants in the Town of Fernie.
Fernie Ice Bar Experience
The Ice Bar is truly a unique and fun experience for adults to enjoy at Fernie Alpine Resort. What makes this experience so special? The vodka tasting is located in an ice bar as cold as -15 Celsius. The extreme cold enhances the smoothness of the vodka, eliminating any lingering sting making the vodka truly delectable.
On our recent visit with friends, we collectively agreed that it was high time to indulge in a vodka tasting. The experience begins with large Helly Hansen Jackets meant to keep you warm in the -15 Celsius. We thought we looked pretty cool wearing these large, warm, and trendy jackets.
After entering the through the large doors, you are immediately encased in a room completely made of ice where we were treated to a vodka tasting experience with a tasting specialist. The specialist was professional and fun as he went through each type of vodka before we chose which shots we wanted to enjoy out of our of a ice shot glass.
After enjoying the various shots of vodka, we all smashed our iced vodka shot glasses on the ground ending the experience.
The experience cost incudes the shots of vodka. Enjoy three 1oz shots for $30 or three .5ox shots for $20.
Where to stay
One standout feature of snowboarding at Fernie Alpine Resort is the abundance of slope side lodging options available. Staying on the hill is such a luxury and makes ski days with kids significantly easier.
Most recently, our family stayed at the Lizard Creek Lodge in a two bedroom condo with access to an outdoor pool and hot tub.
The condo was so spacious and had everything that we needed including a full kitchen, dining room table, two couches, fire place, and balcony. In one bedroom there was a king bed with an on suite bathroom and jacuzzi. The second bedroom had two queens with a bathroom, bath tub and shower located in the hallway.
Our whole family loved the outdoor pool and hot tub surrounded by the mountains. Although the pool was colder than the hot tub, it was still warm enough for a swim! My youngest stayed in the pool the longest and enjoyed swimming around for close to 30 minutes before needing to warm up in the hot tub.
Fernie is pure magic, especially with its slope side accommodation, powder, and variety of terrain for all abilities. It is truly a great place to learn and develop as a skier and snowboarder.
BIG NEWS… We launched an app!
Enjoy hiking with your family? We launched an app called TrailCollectiv to help families get outside, find trails, and connect!
Download it on the Apple Store here and on Google Play here.
I have been writing about snowboarding with kids for a few years now! Check out our other snowboarding resources.
Curious to learn a little bit more about our family? Read more on our About Us page!
