Fernie

Fernie sits in a bowl ringed by the Lizard Range, and the geography traps storms coming off the Rockies, which is why the ski hill averages one of the deepest snowfalls in the Canadian Rockies, often around nine metres a season. The town burned in 1904 and again in 1908, and a story grew that a Ktunaxa chief had cursed the valley over a broken promise by the coal company founder; a mayor formally asked for the curse to be lifted in 1964 in a ceremony with the nation. Rebuilt in brick after 1908, the downtown is a coherent Edwardian streetscape. The Elk River runs through for fly fishing.

History

The town owes its origins to the prospector William Fernie, who, acting on the pioneer Michael Phillips' discoveries of coal and the Crowsnest Pass, founded the Crows Nest Pass Coal Company in 1897 and set up a camp near Coal Creek; the Canadian Pacific Railway reached the valley the following year and a townsite grew up along the line. The mines were dug 10 kilometres away in the Coal Creek valley, where a small community stood until 1960, while Fernie itself, incorporated as a city in July 1904, became the administrative and commercial centre of the coalfield, coking its coal and brewing Fernie Beer from mountain spring water; when the Coal Creek mines closed, mining moved upriver to Michel and Natal (Wikipedia, Fernie, British Columbia).

What to look for

• The Lizard Range bowl - peaks ringing the town and trapping snow.
• The brick downtown - a coherent post-1908 Edwardian streetscape.
• The Elk River - a well-known cutthroat trout fishery through the valley.
• The Ghostrider shadow - a rock formation on Mount Hosmer said to show a rider.

When to go

December to March for snow, which is the town's reputation; June to September for biking, fishing and hiking. Shoulder seasons are quiet with much closed.

What to expect

Snow that deep means road closures over the passes in winter. The town is a long drive from any airport. Summer smoke from regional wildfires has affected recent seasons.

Nearby

Kimberley lies west; the Crowsnest Pass is east into Alberta.

Key facts