
1,012 hectares, 142 runs across five alpine bowls near Fernie. Substantial snowfall, historic mining town, Epic Pass.
Fernie Alpine Resort's summit reaches 2,134 metres, dropping 1,082 vertical metres to a base at 1,052 metres across 142 runs spread over roughly 1,012 hectares near Fernie, British Columbia. Terrain splits 40 per cent intermediate, 30 per cent beginner, 25 per cent advanced and 5 per cent expert, with average annual snowfall of roughly 7.4 metres. The resort carries Epic Pass affiliation. Ten lifts, including four quad chairs and one double chair, serve the mountain alongside three triple chairs and two surface lifts.
Fernie holds a distinctive place among Canadian Rockies resorts for its five separate alpine bowls, Currie, Cedar, Lizard, Timber and Siberia, each offering a genuinely different character across the mountain. This bowl-based terrain, combined with the area's substantial, reliable snowfall, has built Fernie's reputation as one of the more varied big-mountain destinations in the region.
Fernie Ski Development Ltd was incorporated on 20 November 1961 by local community members who raised capital through private sources, with land donated by Galloway Lumber and construction carried out largely by volunteers. The resort opened as Fernie Snow Valley Ski Resort on 10 January 1962, and Heiko and Linda Socher acquired a 30 per cent ownership stake in 1973, stabilising operations through targeted regional marketing.
The Sochers sold Fernie Snow Valley to Resorts of the Canadian Rockies in 1997, and the resort was renamed Fernie Alpine Resort as expansion followed. RCR has weathered ownership changes since, including a period under Charlie Locke before Murray Edwards took control, and today owns Fernie alongside Kimberley, Kicking Horse, Nakiska, Mont-Sainte-Anne and Stoneham. Adult daily tickets run from 175 to 189 Canadian dollars.
Fernie Alpine Resort spreads 142 runs across 2,501 acres skiable of terrain. It leans intermediate at 40%, with 43 beginner runs to find your feet and 43 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
The 2025-26 season at Fernie Alpine Resort ran from 30 November 2025 to 13 April 2026, a roughly nineteen-week season supported by average annual snowfall of around 7.4 metres. Season dates can shift depending on early and late-season weather in the southern Canadian Rockies.
Midwinter, from December through February, typically brings the most consistent, snow-rich conditions across Fernie's five alpine bowls. As an Epic Pass resort through Resorts of the Canadian Rockies' partnership with Vail Resorts, Fernie draws substantial visitation from Epic Pass holders alongside dedicated powder-focused skiers.
Fernie's considerable, reliable snowfall continues to draw committed skiers throughout the season, with the historic mining town of Fernie itself adding character to the visitor experience. School holiday periods bring family visitation given the resort's varied terrain across all five bowls.
Specific event programming beyond standard operations is not confirmed in available resort information. Since Resorts of the Canadian Rockies' 1997 acquisition, Fernie has continued building on more than six decades of history since its 1962 founding by local community members. The resort's five distinct bowls and substantial snowfall remain central to its enduring appeal.
Fernie Alpine Resort sits near Fernie, British Columbia, in the southern Canadian Rockies, with a base elevation of 1,052 metres and a summit at 2,134 metres across a 1,082-metre vertical drop over roughly 1,012 hectares. This setting places the resort in the Elk Valley, close to the Alberta border.
The town of Fernie itself, a genuinely historic former coal-mining community with a well-preserved heritage downtown, offers extensive lodging and dining within a short drive of the resort.
Highway 3 provides direct access to the resort from Fernie. Winter driving conditions on this route can include snow and ice, though the well-travelled road is regularly maintained given the resort's status as a significant regional destination.
Calgary International Airport, roughly a three-hour drive away, is the primary gateway for visitors flying into the region, with Fernie's considerable distance from major population centres drawing a genuinely dedicated visitor base seeking the resort's substantial, reliable snowfall.
Hotels and lodges near Fernie Alpine Resort, powered by Stay22.

Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.

South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.

Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.

La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.

The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.

Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.

Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.

Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
Full day skiing at Fernie Alpine Resort with access to 142 trails and 10 lifts across 2,501 acres. Fernie Alpine Resort receives over 30 feet of snow annually and offers some of the best powder skiing in the Canadian Rockies. Save up to 15% with advance online purchase.
Buy passDiscounted lift tickets for seniors 65+ at Fernie Alpine Resort. Experience world-class skiing in the Lizard Range with spectacular Canadian Rockies views. Fernie Alpine Resort is known for its legendary powder and diverse terrain from beginner to expert.
Buy passYouth lift tickets for ages 13-17 at Fernie Alpine Resort. Perfect for teenage skiers exploring Fernie's famous bowls and tree skiing. Located 3 hours from Calgary, Fernie Alpine Resort offers authentic mountain town atmosphere and epic terrain.
Buy passChildren's skiing at Fernie Alpine Resort for ages 6-12. Kids enjoy the dedicated Mighty Moose beginner area with magic carpet and gentle slopes. Fernie Alpine Resort provides excellent children's ski school programs in a family-friendly environment.
Buy passUnlimited skiing at Fernie Alpine Resort plus Epic Pass benefits. Access to 40+ Epic Pass resorts worldwide including Vail, Whistler, and European destinations. RCR Rockies Card benefits with free days at Kicking Horse, Kimberley, and Nakiska.
Buy passDay passes start from CA$70, with peak rates up to CA$189.
More Fernie Alpine Resort intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.