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Fernie marks 50 years of skiing

A week of events in downtown Fernie and at Fernie Alpine Resort celebrated ski people and culture.
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Jikke Stegeman-Gyorki and Will Barbour of Tourism Fernie

A week of events in downtown Fernie and at Fernie Alpine Resort celebrated the people and culture that have developed in Fernie since the establishment of Fernie Snow Valley ski hill in 1962.

Panel discussions last Thursday and Friday highlighted the industry experts that live in and visit Fernie – from the cat skiing pioneers at Island Lake Lodge and Fernie Wilderness Adventures, to the avalanche control work of Dave Aikens, who has been part of the avalanche team at Fernie since 1979.

Visiting journalists from Ski Canada magazine and National Geographic were joined by Fernie local photographer Henry Georgi to give an insight into ski media and how social media and technology is changing the way they report ski culture.

Mayor of Sun Peaks resort municipality Al Raine spoke on the future of resort management and development.

Edge of the World store owner and snowboard expert Greg Barrow was joined by Cranbrook-based ski designer Sheldon Decosse to discuss the future of ski and snowboard brands.

Ski Canada also held its annual ski test on the slopes of Fernie Alpine Resort, where ski experts tested and reviewed the latest 2013 equipment, which will be featured in the magazine’s annual ski test edition later this year.

Friday saw the inaugural Fernie Ski Wall of Fame presentation ceremony to honour pioneers, builders and sports leaders who have contributed to ski culture and achievement.

Friday night saw downtown Second Avenue closed off for a street party hosted by Tourism Fernie and the City of Fernie including a community-sized birthday cake and entertainment provided by Fernie-based band Red Girl and Rossland band 5 Horse Death.

The week of events closed Saturday night with a kids’ glowstick parade during night skiing on the Mighty Moose, a firework display, plus a special tribute by Fernie Ski Patrol who set the number 50 to burn in red flames on the mountainside.