Skiing begins in Fernie! Kind of...

Drop everything and come for some autumn skiing in Fernie! Well... kind of.

An early dump of snow on the mountains on September 17 inspired the resort's marketing director, Matt Mosteller, to hike up and get a few September turns in Fernie's famous snow trap, Currie Bowl.

He believes he was probably the first skier on a resort in North America this season, but sadly the next day most of the snow had gone, so the rest of us will have to wait a few weeks before we get to become second or third skiers.

The weather experts are predicting this will be a La Nina season, which is good news for us snow lovers in the Rockies. As I understand it, the La Nina system sits above the Pacific Ocean and pushes cool, wet winds towards Western Canada. Once those winds hit the Rockies, they meet up with the cold winds blowing down from the Arctic, and hey presto – more powder than you know what to do with.

I first visited Fernie in February 2008 – the last time we had a La Nina season – when the resort was in the middle of an epic snow season. In the time it took me to ride the Timber Express Chair to the top of the mountain, four cm of snow fell on my shoulders!

If you're thinking of coming out to join us this winter, you should know that Fernie Alpine Resort season passes are on sale until October 16 at www.skifernie.com.

Photo credit: 

Matt Mosteller carves some September turns at Fernie Alpine Resort – the earliest skiing at a non-glacier resort in North America?

Photography by Robin Siggers

Related stories 

• A beginner's guide to Fernie
• Fernie's powder day rule