While visiting my college friends in Whitefish, Montana, we hit the road for a 1.5 hour road trip to Fernie, British Columbia. This was my first time to Canada…can you believe it? Not sure how it can take a born and raised Minnesotan 26 year to make it there, but I digress. Read the details of our winter day trip to Fernie below!
Getting there
It only takes an hour and a half to get to Fernie from Whitefish, Montana. We drove my friend’s Subaru through the small, 2-lane roads into Canada. Make sure you have a car with all wheel drive as the roads can get icy…and if it’s a snowstorm (which it was on our way home later that night) I would recommend avoiding the roads if you’re not used to driving in snowy conditions! Regardless of how you choose to get there, remember these 3 things: bring your passport, read up on what you can and can’t bring into Canada (no fruit!), and appreciate the beautiful landscapes on your way!
Fernie
Ok, let’s first talk about how cute this Fernie resort village is! You can’t get more picturesque than the adorable lodge, shops, and restaurants that are all around the base of the mountain. Once you park for free, take the quick walk to the village to get your lift ticket, which is about 83 American dollars. We had our own gear, but the rental shop is close-by, along with a gift & gear shop, bathrooms, the lodge, a bar & brill, and a traditional chalet (get the Canadian poutine!) with the coolest bar on the second floor that I’ll talk about in a few! Also, make sure to hit up the Bear Den for a rest by the fire when you’re on the mountain 🙂
Fernie mountain
The mountain itself consists 5 different bowls (plus plenty of other skiing) and all runs sit on the front side of the mountain. We got hit with fresh powder all day, so any run we did (on or off boundaries) was fantastic! For less crowded-runs, head to the bowls, where you’ll also get the best views!
Apres Ski
Griz Bar was voted the number one Apres Ski spot in Canada and it definitely lives up to the hype! After our last run, we stopped at Griz Bar located above the main Chalet at the base of the mountain where we were greeted with friendly Canadians, a DJ, and plenty of drinks to go around. We couldn’t resist doing doing a shot-ski (I said I was with my college friends, remember?).
Downtown Fernie
After eating bar food for a few days, we were all ready for something different. We took a quick stop at The Northern Bar for a drink downtown Fernie before we headed to Curry Bowl for some Thai food. It was the best food we ate the entire trip! Definitely add this spot to your list if you’re ever in Fernie and make sure to try the different curries. I had the green curry and loved every bite.
Back to Whitefish
We skied the rest of our weekend in Whitefish, Montana. For all the details, check out A weekend in Whitefish Montana!
That’s all for our winter day trip to Fernie! What other mountains should I check out in Canada?
