After graduating college I moved out west in search of adventures in the mountains and a job, I guess. After landing an opportunity for a season as a ski patroller at Fernie Alpine Resort, I quickly fell in love with the town, the resort, and, of course, Courtney.
After many years of living here, raising three children and not to mention visiting a number of other ski resorts as a family, we can confidently say that Fernie Alpine Resort is one of the best family ski resorts in Canada.
With picturesque views, world-class slopes, and endless adventure possibilities, it’s a great place for the adventurous family.
So what’s so great about Fernie Alpine Resort?
I could easily spend hours talking about this topic, but since I already capture the wonders of Fernie on my Youtube Channel That Mountain Life, allow me to simply share a few highlights that make it such an amazing place.
The Terrain
As a family with a burning passion for skiing, we are of course going to start with the terrain.
From novice to expert, Fernie’s expansive skiing terrain provides the perfect opportunity for all skiers to refine and improve their skills. This ensures that your little one will not have to make the daunting jump from an easy bunny hill to a steep “Green Circle” on the main slope, which, from my experience, has a HUGE impact on the speed of their progression.
Here are a few shorts to show you just how amazing the terrain here at Fernie Alpine Resort is.
Intermediate
As I mentioned previously, Fernie is overflowing with progression terrain – a great place to improve your skiing or snowboarding skills!
Experts
Fernie has a plethora of expert-level terrain all over the hill. This is what makes Fernie is my opinion one of the best family ski resort destinations in North America. Regardless of what skill level you are or the skill gap between family members Fernie has the terrain for you.
If that image wasn’t enough context for the level of expert terrain on Fernie Alpine Resort check out the shorts below.
Night Skiing
For families vacationing in the area, night skiing is an ideal way to explore during the day and enjoy a few hours of fun downhill after dark.
Fernie does night skiing almost every Saturday all winter, you can see their schedule here.
Cross-Country Skiing
Families that are looking for an alternative to downhill skiing should definitely consider checking out Fernie’s cross country. With 14km of groomed and track-set trails, both classic and skate skiers will find something to enjoy. The trails offer a variety of terrain, with flats and hills amongst big cedar and aspen trees in a quiet landscape. This will be a great adventure for the whole family!
If the idea of cross-country skiing has piqued your family’s interest, why not rent top-notch equipment from the resort?
Click here to view their rentals page.
The Nordic trails in Fernie are not just for cross-country skiing, they can also be used for other winter activities such as fat biking and snowshoeing.
If you are looking to rent a bike you can do so right at the resort or by visiting their fat bike rentals page.
On Hill Daycare
Don’t let a tired toddler or small child keep your family from having the time of your lives on vacation. Fernie Alpine Resort offers daycare and ski lessons for children as young as 3 years old, so every member of the family can have an enjoyable experience!
Fernie Ski Hill Accommodations
Fernie Alpine Resort accommodations offers the perfect low-stress family vacation experience with its ski in/ski out options. If you can afford it, I strongly suggest that you stay on the mountain – it allows for maximum flexibility when dealing with family morale during a vacation.
If staying on the hill sounds like something you and your family might want to do, you can check out some of the ski in ski out accommodations here.
Off-Hill Accommodations
Alternatively, if you are staying in town Fernie also provides an amazing ski shuttle that runs all session long. Perfect for those who just want to come here to ski.
You can check out some great places to stay in Fernie by Clicking Here.
Conclusion
Fernie ski resort is one of the best family ski destinations in North America. With basic to expert-level ski areas, night skiing, and plenty of nordic trails for activities like cross-country, fat biking, and snowshoeing, as well as on-hill daycare and sleigh rides! You will find something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Additionally, accommodations range from affordable hotel rooms off the mountain or luxury ski in/ski out options – making it easy to plan a stress-free vacation with your family.
If you are in search of a ski getaway spot or looking to take your family on an extended winter vacation, I cannot suggest Fernie Alpine Resort highly enough. With its breathtaking mountain views, world-class skiing opportunities, and quaint village feel, why wouldn’t you choose this family friendly ski resort? Your kids will love it!