Fernie in southeastern British Columbia is a small city in the Canadian Rockies notable for being an outdoor adventure destination for snowsports and mountain biking, its well-preserved historic downtown area, and for one of Canada’s worst mining accidents when an explosion at the Crow’s Nest Coal Mining Company mine killed 109 miners in 1902.
Surrounded on all sides by the Rocky Mountains, Fernie is home to Fernie Alpine Resort. Situated on Lizard Range mountain range to the southeast of the city, it reportedly receives the highest snowfall of any ski resort in the Canadian Rockies.
Fernie was devastated by fire in 1904 and 1908, and the more fire-resistant buildings constructed afterwards from local rose and gold-coloured brick, contribute to the distinctive appearance of Fernie’s present-day downtown.
