Inghams used to stay at the Stamford Inn, when it was called the Riverside. I don’t know if they still use that accommodation. I think they also use the Park Place Lodge.
For rentals, you have a lot of choices. In town there are several places on 2nd Ave that do rentals, you’ll get great service by experienced technicians and probably good rates too. There’s also a rental place on the highway, which would be handy if your accommodation is on the highway. On the hill there is the resort rental shop, which is very convenient if you want to change anything. There’s also Quest rentals at Lizard Creek Lodge which offer great service, and boot fitting specialists at the Griz Inn who have been voted the best in Canada.
I’d have to go with the majority on the snow blades. To get the most out of Fernie’s slopes you need to get off the groomers, on blades you’ll just be stuck the whole time. I skied with a blader once, who said the only reason he used them was because it was the only thing he could use due to injuries to his elbows and hips, but if he had a choice, he’d be skiing. You don’t see blades here much.
You don’t really need to book lessons in advance, I’d wait till you get here. Lift tickets? Lets just say be prepared to earn a lot of airmiles on your credit card. Check out http://www.skifernie.com for rates etc. I would definately allow at least one day for an alternate activity, like cat-skiing, dog-sledding or getting a guide to take you back country.
BTW, it’s been snowing pretty much non-stop since November. You’re gonna have a blast.
