Visiting Fernie in winter might be my new favorite cold weather thing to do! Fernie has something for everyone, a cute downtown, range of accommodation, incredible downhill skiing, a huge network of trails close to town. It far exceeded my expectations and I’m already planning a return trip for next winter.
I have to be honest, when we arrived in Fernie, it was snowing hard, it became a winter wonderland overnight after an otherwise fairly dry winter. Then the sun came out and we had two sunny days. Winter trips don’t get much better weatherwise than that.
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The Best Things To Do In Fernie In Winter
1. Downhill Ski And Snowboard
Probably the most popular thing to do in Fernie in winter is downhill skiing and snowboarding at Fernie Alpine Resort. This incredible resort has something for everyone from beginners to advanced runs, its big enough to keep you skiing and riding all day.
The base area is home to bars, hotels and restaurants so you can base yourself right at the mountain if you are keen for a few days of skiing and snowboarding. Otherwise there is a shuttle bus which stops at many of the hotels downtown and is a great option for getting to the mountain, especially on busy days!
The apres at the Grizz bar on the resort is top notch with beer deals and a patio for spring.
2. Cross Country Skiing
There are a number of different areas to go cross country skiing in Fernie in winter. For easy trails, check out the golf course which is track set in winter. For more advanced options there are a few trails at the Fernie Alpine Resort. There is the Elk Valley Nordic Centre which offers 10 kilometers of maintained trails as well as trails which are groomed around the Montane trail system.
Many of these areas have a fee system in place to help with trail upkeep and the cost to trackset, well worth it to enjoy these incredible areas. Fernie in winter really is a cross country skiing dream.
Check out the latest grooming online to help decide where you want to head out each day.
3. Guided Snowshoe
After a fresh snowfall, nothing beats a snowshoe. Winter in Fernie is the perfect time to explore the sport. There are plenty of places to rent snowshoes in town if you want to go it alone with the trail map, alternatively take a snowshoe tour to fully embrace the sport and the area.
If you are staying at the Fernie Alpine Resort check out their snowshoe tours as an alternative to hitting the slopes on your skis or to do after a day of adventuring.
4. Stroll Downtown
Downtown Fernie is packed with local boutiques and cafes. You can easily spend a few hours exploring all the stores during a trip to Fernie in winter. There is everything from ski shops to chocolate and cheese shops, so there really is something for everyone.
Check out the Big Bang Bagels for a delicious breakfast or lunch to fuel your day. They have so many varieties of fresh baked bagels with some delicious fillings to choose from.
5. Visit A Distillery Or A Brewery
Make sure to check out Fernie Brewing Company and Fernie Distillers while you are in town for some local tipples. The brewing company is just outside of town while the distillery is downtown. During winter they may have reduced hours, so make sure to check ahead to avoid disappointment.
If you have the time while visiting Fernie in winter, make sure to take a tour at Fernie Distillers to get the full tasting experience.
6. Winter Hiking
Check out the Fernie winter trail map for all the hiking options available in winter. I tried out the Montane winter trail system to the Montane hut, which provided incredible views of the Lizard Range. Keep to the hiking or multi use trails here, some are signed as cross country skiing or fat biking only.
We also hiked through a snow covered forest to check out Fairy Creek Falls, a beautiful easy hike with a pretty reward at the end. A must do year round hike in Fernie.
There are also plenty of other trails to explore in Fernie in winter, especially along beside the river if you are looking for an easy, flat walk. When I was there it had just snowed and many of the trails had just been groomed and so were very soft, this makes it hard on the legs in my opinion. If they have just groomed the trails and you are hiking, try to stick to the sides so as not to leave large holes in the trail.
Where To Stay In Fernie
We stayed at Park Place Lodge in Fernie, it was a few blocks from downtown and had a ski shuttle stop out the back. The room was large and the beds comfortable. There was a pool and hot tub in the centre, perfect after a day of adventuring in winter. There was an included hot buffet breakfast which was awesome as well as The Pub which is attached to the hotel, perfect for apres. This really is a great reasonably priced hotel for a stay in Fernie in winter.
There are a variety of other cheaper hotels such as The Raging Elk Adventures Lodging as well as more luxury options such as the Best Western Plus Fernie Mountain Lodge in town or The Lizard Creek Lodge located at Fernie Alpine Resort. So you shouldn’t have any problem finding an accommodation option to suit you.
