SnowPro Rentals is changing the way out-of-towners get the gear they need to enjoy skiing and boarding in Fernie. With a full-service tuning and rental shop based out of the Stanford Resort, SnowPro is the only ski and snowboard rental company in town that brings equipment directly to people in their accommodations.
“We had sort of noticed that gap in the services in town for quite some time,” said owner Jon Knauf. “With tourism on the upswing for the past few years we decided that the timing would be right, and with the location here we can capture a few different markets.”
The process is simple and gives renters a quick and easy way to get their gear, without the hassle of line-ups or paperwork. After a customer books equipment online, the SnowPro crew delivers it and fits their boots wherever in town they happen to be staying.
“Our mobile service is a no charge service, so the whole package is that we offer top rental equipment at competitive prices, with the added value of the pickup and drop off service,” explained Knauf. “That’s what I think sets us apart from anything else you’ll find in the area.”
Opening just in time for the Christmas holidays, SnowPro evolved out of Knauf’s previous ski tuning service, FastWax. The new service is a division of his company Mountain High Adventures, which runs white water rafting on the Elk and Bull rivers in the summer, as well as a shuttle service.
“Originally I was hired by Mountain High as a [river] guide and then got the opportunity to buy it seven or eight years ago, and we’ve been moving forward since then,” Knauf said.
Knauf came to Fernie in 1998 for a season of snowboarding, and like many other residents, he never left. He remarked, “Of course I fell in love with the town and now it’s home. My wife and two kids are here as well and it’s definitely home for us.”
With his latest business endeavour, Knauf has found a way to continue making a living doing what brought him here in the first place.
“Most of the time I’m a snowboarder but I enjoy skiing as well,” he remarked. “We’ve got a great selection of all mountain powder skis and stuff here so I like to of course test the equipment out and just try to get out there as much as possible.”
For more information on SnowPro Rentals visit www.snowprorental.com.