A raw, rugged place in the Canadian Rockies, Fernie Alpine Resort offers some of the steepest, scariest on-piste skiing in the world. An adventurer's paradise, Fernie has over 1,000 hectares of untamed valleys, sheer and narrow drop-ins and slopes with an average steepness of 40 degrees. It is also renowned for its off-piste areas accessible by 'snowcat' and its luxury ski lodge.

LIZARD CREEK LODGE
5346 Highline Drive (00 1 250 423 2057; fax: 423 2058; www.lizardcreek.com). Lizard Creek Lodge, just a few metres from the Elk Quad Chair lift, has a number of different size suites each with mountain views and a fireplace, as well as loft suites and condominiums. The stunning Great Room has a huge fireplace and large armchairs and the restaurant serves an epic Sunday brunch. There is also a spa, and, in front of the lodge, a pool and hot tub with views up the mountain. £££

ISLAND LAKE LODGE
(00 1 888 422 8754; www.islandlakelodge.com). A few miles out of town is Island Lake Lodge, Fernie's luxury cat-ski operation (a caterpillar-tracked 'snowcat' carries skiers to the top of a remote mountain). The lodge is set in a stunning location with a frozen lake in front, cedar forest behind and a network of ski trails all around. Three buildings, built from whole larch and tamarack trunks, creating the classic, wave-walled log-cabin look, accommodate 36 skiers. All the furniture is crafted by local woodworkers; the bedcovers and gingham flourishes are sewn nearby; and the iron fittings come from the Kootenay Forge, just up the valley. The water comes from a mountain spring, and a water-turbine system has been built to supply the lodges with electricity. The lodge has hot tubs, a spa, a gym, a bar and an exclusive restaurant where diners can expect catfish fillet, ginger confit and golden-teardrop tomato salsa, followed by pear tatin. ££££

Yamagoya
741-7th Ave (00 1 250 430 0090). Yamagoya is a Japanese restaurant with an impressive sake list including organic Kome Dake.

WINTER SPORTS
On average 10 metres of snow falls on the ski area's impressive five alpine bowls nestled in the limestone cliffs of the Lizard Range in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia. There are a total of 107 runs including the Falling Star, which at three miles, is the longest.
The Mini Moose and Mighty Moose lifts are best for first time skiers and snowboarders. The Deer and Elk Chair lifts access wide open, daily groomed, rolling slopes with well-marked runs and return-to-base access. The Boomerang Chair provides the easiest access to the Cedar Bowl terrain. Most of the runs in Lizard and Cedar Bowls are marked blue/intermediate. The high speed Timber Bowl Express and White Pass Quad take skiers to new heights on the mountain where there is plenty more exciting terrain to explore. A complimentary Mountain Host Tour departs at 9:30am and 1:30pm daily from the base area.
On the lower mountain, the snowboarding terrain park is open when snow conditions permit.
Other sports include cross-country skiing, dog sledging and sleigh riding.

SUMMER SPORTS
In the summer months, canoeing, caving, fishing, biking and climbing are amongst the sporting attractions available in the area.

AIRPORT
Fly to Calgary International airport. The Rocky Mountain Sky Shuttle runs two return trips daily between Calgary airport and Fernie.

AIRLINES
Air Canada (08705 247 226; www.aircanada.ca) flies several times daily from Heathrow to Calgary.

BY CAR
Fernie Alpine Resort is located in the south-east corner of the B.C. Rockies on Highway No.3 approximately 60km from the Alberta and U.S. borders. It is 5km from the City of Fernie and only 1.5km up the hill from the highway intersection.

PACKAGES
Canada specialists include Inghams (020 8780 4433; www.inghams.co.uk), Frontier Ski (020 8776 8709; www.frontier-ski.co.uk), Ski Safari (01273 223680; www.skisafari.com) and Ski Independence (0870 555 0555; www.ski-i.com).

The ski season runs from early December to mid-April.

Fernie Alpine Resort (00 1 250 423 4655; www.skifernie.com).