The history of Fernie is pretty wild: a mash-up of miners, myth, ghost stories and a series of natural disasters (fire and flood) in the early decades of the 20th Century that, legend has it, were caused by a curse placed on the valley by an Indigenous chief to avenge his jilted daughter. To this day, the forests of Fernie are still studded with the jagged remnants of burned trees from the fire and you can see them up close on the guided snowshoe hikes offered by Fernie Alpine Resort. The tours start from the Adventure Centre in the Lizard Creek Lodge, where you’ll get kitted out with the requisite snowshoes and hiking poles, before ducking into the trail system just beyond the resort boundary. Even though you’re technically not that far away from it all, the sound-muffling properties of the snow instantly transport you into a mystical world where the trees have stories to tell. Full or half-day tours run throughout the winter, or get a taste with the Tuesday evening Snowshoe & Dine nights, a 1.5-hour snowshoe hike followed by pasta and wine at Cirque restaurant in the Lizard Creek Lodge.
Avenue’s writers and editors are occasionally invited to experience dining or adventure activities as a guest, including some experiences in this story. Neither complementary experiences nor advertising are required for coverage in Avenue. Neither companies that advertise nor those that provide other incentives are promised editorial coverage, nor do they have the opportunity to review or approve stories before publication.