Hi guys,

Im from the UK and heading out to Canada in a few days for a snowboard holiday, were going to Fernie.

Just wondered if you could tell me what sort of prices things in general go for so I can tell how far my dollars are going to go.

Just the main things, Beer, steak dinner, that sorta thing

Also if anyones been to Fernie what do you think, good resort?

Cheers!

 

well I've never been to the UK but I can tell you what these items cost in canadian dollars.....


case of beer = about $30 (for 24)
Steak dinner... about $10 + drinks
Gasoline: expensive, but way cheaper than yours still!

never beent o fernie either :P

 

good steak dinner might push $20....

gas currnetly is around 80-93 cents/litre for regular-premium.

 

LoL, I would love to get a steak dinner for $10 + Drinks.

Where is this magical place?

 

I believe in that case you have eat right off the cows ***. In the field. Or it's not really steak.

A good steak dinner for a 4-6oz, will run about 12.99 and up from there for larger steaks.

 

I haven't been to Fernie , but your going to one beautiful part of the country.

on the food side , like anywhere , the price varies 300% depending on the quality of the establishment . Any place in a small town with a sign over its door "RESTAURANT"" witll give you a $10 steak dinner , or a $ 3.99 breakfast special, etc. ......... and then the $20 steak place is up the street ..... then the $30 steak a little farther. ... if oyu have a budget, try to fnd those places. I would bet that the food at a ski resort will be on the high side , they expect you have money if your going there.

find a few simple places for a good value , home cooked meal if you can.

have a great time , they'll probably still remember U.K's Eddy the Eagle out there from the Calgary olympics, so tell them your his cousin for a free drink at the Bar.

 

I've never paid more than MAYBE $10.99 for a steak dinner.

You are seriously shopping in the wrong places if you pay $20!

maybe it is because I live in a small town and eat at "restaurants" :P

though I could see one being $20 at a resort, sure.

 

Its been quite a while since I've skied Fernie, and they've expanded a lot since then. I understand that because it's quite spread out, the lift rides can be longish. The snow tends to be either awesome or terrible - when they get snow, it's loads, and when it's warm, the lower mountain can have a lot of bare patches and even rain. I've skied slush and bare patches there, and a metre+ of powder, all in the same week.
Prices -will depend a lot on where you go for stuff, - beer, $3-6, steak dinner, probably around $20-25, but anywhere from $12-50 depending on size, cut, quality, and "ambiance"
Enjoy your trip!

 

The last time I was in Fernie was in 2000. It has apparently changed quite a bit since then. I happend to be there during one of those awesome times. It snowed HEAVY for 4 days straight. Near the end of our trip they had to close off part of the mountain because they couldn't keep up with the avalanche control.

This trip was my first trip out west and I haven't seen more snow in my entire life. It was an awesome snowboard vacation.

Good luck, I hope you get lots of snow.

 

Fernies big problem is that they get a tonne of snow, but they also get some warm weather and lots of rain. So it is really hit or miss. Usually the top layer of snow isn't too bad, but depending on how much fresh snow is there you can find lots of ice. But don't worry about rocks or anything, Fernie has had a tonne of snow this year. Your lift ticket is around $75. Beer and food at the hill isn't as expensive as it is at some places. They also have a mexican place with all you can eat tacos for like $14 or so on the hill. Fernie is an amazing hill and the runs there are awesome. I live about 3.5 hours from there and go there a couple of times each year. Are you landing in Calgary and driving down to Fernie or how are you getting there?


For 12 beer it is around $20. I personaly recomend Kokanee for you to try out. It's my fav Canadian beer. If you are landing in Calgary and renting a full sized car you are looking at around $150 or so for gas for the whole week-end. If you want a decent steak sandwhich just go to any pub at night at get one. They are from $8-$12 for a good steak. If you buy a beer at the bar it will cost you around $4-$6 depending on the bar and the time.

 

Cheers guys, for the info and the well wishing

Really looking forward to it now, 1 more day to go. To be honest im not sure of the flight details, my mate booked it all, but theres been no talk of hiring a car so assume were getting a coach transfer or something.

Sounds like same-ish numbers to the UK food wise, cheapest steak dinner here is about £10-£11. Beer looks about the same, we pay £2-£3 at the bar. I shall be hunting the $10 steaks and $3 beers, lol. Weve got a fridge in our room so i'll give a case of Kokanee a try, cheers for the tip

Snow cant be worse than my last two european trips, no snowfall both times, although hardly any closures luckily, just starting to forget what powders like.....

 

kokanee is going to taste like weak tea next to one of your Best Bitters.

its a smooth tasting canadian beer as we like 'em , but you may want to ask for a Rickards Red or a Sleemans Dark Ale for a little more flavour .

break a leg

 

You will find your money going a long way here. I'm a Brit and have lived in Canada since 1976. I have to go back to the UK on family business in March and I know everything will be twice the price, except for pub grub, maybe. Food, restaurants, hotels, clothes, petrol, you name it. I get through 20 pound notes in England like I get through $20 bills here exactly the same. A $20 shirt will cost 20 pounds in my old home town. 17% VAT is tough, sales tax and gst total 14% in Manitoba and it makes a difference. Do what I did in 1974, came over for a holiday, looked around, promptly immigrated!
Mike

 

No worries there, I go nowhere near the bitters! Theres a beer festival we go to every christmas and I always try the ales but they still dont appeal.
I like the regular lagers like carlsberg, stella, etc fine, my favourites are coronas, also getting a taste for the ones that have a bit of a citrus zang like fosters twist. Brahmas are a nice drop aswell. Kokanee sounds like it will hit the spot.

Found a tasty cocktail the other day too, The Godfather....Jack daniels, Amaretto and coke...kind of like alcoholic doctor pepper...with whisky

 

Superb, I was hoping it would be like that, I went Florida a few years back (well, about 12 now!) and thought the same. Everything seemed to be similar priced £1 - $1 so saving nearly half.

Canada seems to be quite a popular choice for re-location, me and the girlfriend always talk of moving abroad one day, I shall have to see what its like

 

I'm not sure if you have Captain Morgans spiced rum in the UK but its great. It has a somewhat simular taste to what you were drinking. It's my favorite drink by far. And if you like Stella then you should like Kokanee. Whenever I go to the US I was bring a 24 pack of Kokanee with me. I have given a beer to the locals and they will usually drink one, and then ask for another to keep for a special ocasion. It is pretty funny.

 

Fernie typically gets some of the best snow in Canada...up to 4m base!

..and when it gets a little warm on one side of the mountain, don't despair, you can usually find powder on the other side.

The Alps absolutely suck this year. Once smitten with the Canadian Rockies, you may never go back....

 

I've also found that if it rains the night before, it usually only rains on the bottom half of the hill. So if you go near the top they usually have some fresh snow and its alot better.

 

A pint of Guinness and most good drinks ends up costing me about $7 here when i go to the bar. I hope it's cheaper for you guys over there in the UK, heh.

 

There is NO way YOU can drink the whole thing. :p

 

Did you just put Guinness and "good drink" in the same sentance? YUCK.

 

haha, i love a pint of Guinness. some people don't
point is, drinking can get expensive at restaurants/bars.

 

Fernie is pretty good this year lots of snow early in the season to give it a good base, I just went out to fernie and then to Whitewater (in Nelson, much better then fernie in my opinion) in Jan and they have alot of snow. Fernie is a big hill lots of runs but can be expensive and busy, when we were riding there I think we were paying $80 for a full day pass but I think its down to $70 now.
In my opinoin if you want to do some really good tree runs, back country runs in powder up to your wast then you have to go to Whitewater, Its a small privately owned ski hill and it has more vertical drop then fernie, more snow then fernie, and it has some of the best back country sking/boarding you can find in the country, not to mention than it doesnt get to busy and it only cost $35 to ride for the hole day.
Its located by a small town called Nelson probabley the best town in all of bc, if anyone has been there they would totaly agree with me, its about 5-7 hours from Fernie depends if the Salmo pass is open.
If you need direction pm me you wont regret it.

 

Nice! Enjoy the holiday! I lived there for 2 years while I taught at the local high school. What a great community, and there's lots of great riding to be had there. Don't be afraid to go off the beaten path and find some great skiing in the trees in weird places. If you can, hook up with a townie, or one of the granolas that are in for the season. They'll be able to take you to some really gnarly terrain! be safe!

matt

 

I just got back from Fernie last week-end and it was an awesome trip. There was tonnes of snow and the weather was great. But the weather has been warm there for a couple of days now so the snow will be pretty crappy until they get some new stuff.