A legendary mountain famed for powder with five alpine bowls: Cedar, Lizard, Currie, Timber and Siberia. Each one has unique appeal, with ungroomed steeps, chutes, open glades, remote ridges as well as long groomers.

Fernie boasts the longest lift-accessed vertical in the Rockies, with 3,550ft of leg-burning drop from the top of Polar Peak. The resort features more than 2,500 acres of skiable terrain across its five bowls and 142 marked trails (plus plenty besides), with a great proportion ungroomed and 75 rated black or double black.

Linked via a well-placed system of 10 lifts, the terrain is playful, wild and endless, with mellower zones too. Fernie boasts some of the best tree riding in North America with forests that keep the snow fresh for longer. Groomed slopes, gulleys and powder fields run through each bowl, with steep zones and chutes accessed from ridges between bowls.

On a powder day, we love heading into Cedar Bowl and over to the far side to access Snake Ridge – a small boot-pack will get you to the top, and you’ll be rewarded with a huge vertical of steep powder turns through trees, gulleys and ridges – all in one run.

With an average of 10m of snowfall each season, Fernie is one of the best places in the world to ride powder. The soft snow is what truly separates Fernie from many resorts – it’s so light and fluffy, it makes riding the steeps surprisingly accessible. A combination of the horse-shoe shape of the bowls, local weather systems and Pacific fronts are to thank for Fernie’s frequent dumps and feather-light flakes.

Located in the southeast corner of British Columbia, Fernie is a welcoming town that promises an authentic taste of mountain life, with a chilled-out feel, rich ski culture and an infectious community spirit.

A genuine mountain settlement and mining town, Fernie is different to a typical purpose-built resort. The ski culture is rich in both spirit and history, with laid-back vibe that rubs off on even the most stressed-out souls.

Historic downtown is the place to hang-out, with historic buildings, indie shops, restaurants and lunch spots, buzzing bars, and local coffee stores.

There’s a museum and art galleries, a cinema screening the best movies, swim centre and gyms for keeping ski-fit, and bouldering wall for climbers.

There’s also a rich calendar of cultural and social events throughout the season, from local gigs and jam nights, to rail jams, Griz Days – a festival celebrating Fernie’s mythical powder god – and Hot Dog Day – a retro-themed event with old-school flavour and an 80s atmosphere.

The nightlife in Fernie is eclectic, and can be chilled or wild depending on the night. There’s everything from big nights with live music at The Northern, to jam sessions at local pub Brickhouse, and delicious mixes at cocktail bar Fernie Distillers. There’s no nightclub as such, but the options are fun and, for seasonaires, house parties are common.

The après ski is relaxed but there’s a healthy scene in Fernie. There’s Griz Bar at the ski base area where riders congregate after a day on the hill, with the outdoor terrace Kokanee Deck full during spring. Regular days are mellow with social beer jugs and pool, while weekends get more rowdy with live bands and DJs for special events.

Fernie has a vibrant foodie scene with a small but diverse collection of local spots. You’ve got restaurants like Nevados for tacos and tequila, Loaf for great sourdough pizza and the Northern for the best burgers in town, doubling up as a lively bar too. There’s the Brickhouse, home to great pub food and weekly jam sessions, plus Yamagoya for great sushi and Asian fusion. Lunchbox and Mugshots are perfect for healthy and delicious lunch options, smoothies and coffee.