Skiers and riders let out a big cheer this weekend with the 1st major snowfall of the season! Usually the August snowstorms only stay on the ground for a short period. But this season is different as this storm dropped snow over the weekend of August 28th and it is still on the ground on the north facing side of the peaks in and around Fernie Alpine Resort. This snow fell hard on Fernie Alpine Resort over the weekend and I know that we may have been the only resort to get this snowfall but I also know having recently visited other ski resorts in British Columbia like Whistler Blackcomb, Red Mountain, Kicking Horse and Revelstoke Mountain Resort that they are doing their snow dance as well!! Bring it on!

 

Great news for you Fernie skiers and riders! Skyline Traverse will get a make-over. Yes- some of it's cosmetic blemishes will be fixed to make the traverse more fun for us all to enjoy! The Fernie Alpine Resort Bush Crew has been busy doing their summer ski trail work and also enhancing ski runs like Skyline Traverse. Can't miss wishing happy birthday to legendary Fernie Alpine Resort ski instructor, Jim Wright as he turns 70 next week. Jim is also not the only one preparing for next winter and beyond as the BC Ladies Ski Team is in Fernie for a 10 day conditioning camp in preparation for the Russian Olympics in Sochi. The BC Ski Team has lots of great resorts to choose from but feel that Fernie is the best place for summer fitness program as has the most diverse trail network in the Canadian Rockies for running and or biking. We are also very fortunate to have Mike Delich and his company Fernie Lodging Company assist the BC Ski Team in their lodging needs for this important camp.

When you kick back to watch the movie recent Hollywood Blockbuster Inception you will see that this movie gets around. Around the world that is! They could have chosen to shoot this movie anywhere given the blockbuster budget. But when it came down to finding the best snow in the world for one of the key scenes the Director, Christopher Nolan chose Fernie, British Columbia and Fernie Alpine Resort. Fernie Alpine Resort is known far and wide in the skiing circles as having some of the best snow in the world. Check out Inception as it is a great movie and you will see the snow of Fernie sliding down the incredible terrain of the Lizard Range in the Canadian Rockies. We will keep you posted when Leonardo DiCaprio plans to return to ski....

Fernie, British Columbia, is the place to be in the Canadian Rockies for the two-wheeled crowd with great events filling the month of August. To Start it off the TransRockies event left today the ski town of Fernie headed north through the rugged Rockies on their way to Canmore, Alberta. Coming up is the Super D Downhill Mountain Bike Race at Fernie Alpine Resort on Saturday August 21st- this is a gruelling all mountain event that incorporates tough technical singletrack riding with endurance and speed. Not for the faint of heart as competitors race downhill from the top of the Timber Chair (some of the toughest lift served downhill mountain biking in the Canadian Rockies) to the base of Fernie Alpine Resort along such infamous trails as Rumpelstumpskin and TNT.

Don't miss out as there is more for all types of riders with the Dual Slalom and Dirt Crit Race on Sunday August 22nd. If not riding in this event come on up to cheer the competitors on and enjoy the great specatator events and party!

 

This is what happens when you leave a green deck-hand on wheel and he only knows how to use a GPS and does not reference his charts and depth sounder.

And then do not drink whiskey and pass out before you batten down the hatches and hold, or when the tide rises it will fill your boat and you will wake up in a wet bunk.

 

 

The TransRockies event, the best mountain biking event in North America, starts August 8th in Fernie, British Columbia. Celebrating 9 years of TransRockies, the event then follows trails to the finish line in the Canadian Rockies community of Canmore, Alberta on August 14th. Fernie is pulling out all the stops to host the kick-off party for the 500 racers on Sunday, August 8th with events scheduled for that day of a Beer Garden, Bike Show and the Time Trial stage kicking off North America's most scenic bike race. From what I understand there have been some really cool routes picked for this years event that traverse some incredible alpine terrain and offer outstanding example of jaw dropping scenery over the spine of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Hopefully the racers will be able to take in this scenery while they grind the climbs out....There is still some lodging available for the weekend opening event so you can check www.skifernie.com and go to the vacations section for on-line bookings or call 1-800-258-7669. Don't miss cheering on the riders for this epic event and then do some killer rides in and around Fernie or up at Fernie Alpine Resort.

Christopher Nolan's blockbuster "Inception" debuts in movie theatres on Friday, July 16th. Filmed on locations around the world but some of the most challenging filming happened on location in the Canadian Rockies near Nakiska Ski Resort. As the weather and significant snowfall which is fantastic for skiers but provided challenging conditions for the film crews. The movie crew moved into position over deep snow in snow grooming cats similar to the models used in ski resorts. In addition to the snowmobiles as noted in my previous blog entry also had an elaborately detailed Hummer on snow tracks to quickly move during the chase scenes. It is going to be an amazing film and look forward to seeing it on Friday!

The stunt crew for "Inception" was coordinated by Brent Woolsey and he had a top notch team that did some amazing acts on snowmobiles, on skis and on foot. "Inception" used a Hummer on skis and specially outfitted snowmobiles for the action scenes carrying heavily armed soldiers. The snowmobiles were slick, high powered Ski-Doo's with 800R PTEK engines. At Nakiska Ski Resort http://www.skinakiska.com the stunt team practiced with the high powered sleds to perfect the tricks used in the movie.

The Movie's stars include, Leonardo DiCaprio ("Blood Diamond", "The Aviator"), Ken Watanabe ("The Last Samurai"), Ellen Page ("Juno"), Tom Hardy ("RocknRolla", "Bronson"), Cillian Murphy ("Batman Begins"), and Michael Caine ("Hannah and Her Sisters")

Don't miss this film as it debuts July 16th

Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie, British Columbia was recently visited by one of Canada's best bike shops, Gord's Ski and Bike, in Manitoba. The Gord's Ski and Team are not afraid to get Dirty! Gord's has an expert crew of downhill mountain bikers who recently visited Fernie Alpine Resort. Gord's team had this to say- "Gord's Bike Club Members Heidi, Scott Watson, Matt Jackson, Watson 2.0 as well as staff members Darci, JF, Coppens and JT Austin are ripping it up on our first MTB trip to Fernie ever... and WE'RE LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT! Let us be the first to admit it, the hype is all true, this place is sensational. From the delicious burgers at the on-hill Kelsey's to the equally delicious trails and exceedingly friendly locals, Fernie is a most pleasant surprise. Especially considering the hype it had to live up to."

please visit more details from there epic downhill mountain bike journey in the Canadian Rockies at http://www.gords.com Gord's Bike Club members visited Fernie Alpine Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and Panorama. Gord's Bike Club team stayed at the Wolf's Den Lodge for their Fernie Vacation (work.....)

 

 

Choosing the best powder skiiing resort destination in North America is not easy. There is lots to debate. So to keep it simple I have chosen three ski resorts that you will have a great powder skiing experience and if it does not snow you will have a positive skiing experience. Snow though is the ski ingredient for a powder ski vacation. The Canadian Rockies ski resort of Fernie Alpine Resort located in Southeastern, British Columbia and short drive from the new Canadian Rockies International Airport gets on average 30 feet of snow. It most years that is new snow at least 3 days a week. So that would give a ski trip to Fernie Alpine Resort the best odds of experiencing skiing powder in the Canadian Rockies. If my trip was to take me to the United States I would look at either Grand Targhee Ski Resort near Driggs, Idaho and just an hour away from Jackson Hole Wyoming and or Alta Ski Area in Utah. Both get lots of snow! Good luck searching for your favorite powder ski vacation this winter!