New family-friendly trail
Opened to riders in the 2011/12 season, the Fernie Snowmobile Association’s newly cut and well-signed Family Friendly trail takes riders from a second Coal Creek staging area through the glades and excellent tree riding of the Rolling Hills corridor and directly to the Wrangler’s Cabin and the picturesque Notch Lookout area. The staging area and trail were constructed to reduce congestion and provide an alternative to connecting from Coal Creek to the Morrissey trail to reach the cabin and viewing point, which involves riding down a plowed logging road. A new, larger cabin at Paige’s Draw, the entrance to the sledding area, is also nearing completion.
Sledders’ hangouts
- Smitty’s is the most popular breakfast meeting point for sledders in Fernie. The tried-and-true national chain is located on Hwy 3 and offers everything from its famous buttermilk pancakes to waffles and omelettes to salads, sandwiches, steaks and pastas.
- For riders with some energy left at the end of the day, there is a lot to experience in Fernie after dark. Head to the downtown centre on Second Avenue and Main Street for roughly six blocks of neighbourhood pubs and clubs to choose from. The Park Place Lodge Pub and Boston Pizza are favourites in the sledding circle.
Extended Stay
- Upper Pipeline area. Riders looking to climb higher than the Rolling Hills play area and Wrangler’s Cabin can take the Trans Canada pipeline up to Flathead Ridge. There riders can find big basins and wide open riding areas.
