Tucked away in a narrow valley in the rugged Canadian Rocky Mountains, in the heart of southeast BC, lies the mountain community of Fernie. From its boom town status at the turn of the century to its reputation as the Whiskey Gap during the prohibition era of the 1920s, Fernie has inherited a unique and colourful history.

A town with a strong history of coal mining, Fernie was named after mining magnate William Fernie who helped develop the town into the industry's largest centre in the Elk Valley region, after he had reported a major coal discovery in 1897 that led to the formation of the Crowsnest Pass Coal Company.

The founder of the city met a tribe of Indians during one of his many prospecting trips. Enquiring about the source of the shiny black stones that adorned a necklace worn by the Indian Chieftain's daughter, the Chief agreed to reveal the origin in return for the prospector agreeing to marry the princess. William Fernie never kept his promise, and refused to marry the princess, whereupon the angered chief put a curse of fire, flood and famine on the valley. On August 15, 1964, Chief Ambrose Gravelle of the Kootenai tribe, known as Chief Red Eagle, smoked the pipe of peace with the then mayor of Fernie to finally lift the Fernie Curse.

Abandoned mines, museums and heritage sites invite visitors to step back in time to explore the area's bustling boom years. The beauty of the Elk Valley entices campers and hikers, and a challenging world-class 18-hole golf course sits at the foot of towering peaks.

• The Rocky Mountains

  Fernie boasts a world-class ski mountain. The Fernie Alpine Resort gets heaped with snow and is renowned for its fabulous powder conditions.

• Experience the thrill of snowcat-skiing and snowmobiling; the terrain is ideal, leading to panoramic alpine vistas and powder-filled bowls just waiting for you.

• Grab a pair of snowshoes or cross-country skis and explore powder filled forests, or hop aboard a dogsled for an ultimate adventure as you glide past scenic vistas.

• The ski area rises about 5 km above the town of Fernie; you can see the massive bowls from Main St. Trails on the lower mountain cut through dense forest. Fifty named runs and countless other secret chutes and gullies drop a total of 2,400 vertical feet (730 m). Experts, intermediate, and novices can all get the chance to ski powder, since all levels of skier can utilize each lift.

• Fernie is well patronized by skiers from British Columbia - these savvy skiers have known about Fernie's bounty for years - photographers regularly descend after a major snowfall to take those great magazine cover shots.

• Mountain biking in Fernie caters to newcomers experiencing their first-time high, as well as hard-core muddy madmen pushing the envelope of extreme competition. Fernie offers hundreds of miles of beautiful riding terrain, through the pastoral beauty of the valley's farms and ranches, through the old townsite on the Coal Creek Heritage Trail to lift-accessed exploration of the Fernie Alpine Resort's extensive trail system.

• The Fernie Historical Museum is housed in the old Roman Catholic Church rectory. The museum has displays of local mining history, furniture, and household items.