Policy & Procedure

COVID Operations 2021/22
Please read our Covid operations policy closely, this policy supersedes all prior policy and will be enforced. Failure to comply will impact future bookings.

MEMBERSHIP
Only current Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club members can book a cabin or see the available inventory. Memberships are available here.

WAIVERS
Only people who sign waivers online are authorized visitors of the cabin. Failure to comply will impact future bookings. All guests must sign the online waiver and the member booker is responsible for their guests compliance.

BOOKING DATES
Thunder Meadows cabin is available for booking from November 15th to April 30th and July 1st to October 31st. The area is closed for goat lambing in the spring.

ACCESS
Motorized access to Thunder Meadows is not permitted.

CANCELLATIONS
There are no cancellations, changes, credits or refunds and we kindly ask that you do not contact us with any request. The cabin service is inexpensive and all monies are reinvested in the cabin for your next visit.

TRANSFERS
The booking can be transferred however it needs to changed online. The new booker needs to be a member, the emergency contact information needs to be completed, and all online guest waivers must be completed.

This policy is about safety and accountability should we need to contact you while at the cabin.

If not completed you are responsible for the new party and future booking privileges could be revoked.

PRICING
Cabin Fees are $100 per night for entire hut (maximum 6 people at Thunder Meadows).
There also is a $10 booking fee to cover administration, payment processing and taxes.

SUPPLIED
Our huts are equipped with the following:
– Beds and foamies.
– Wood furnace with firewood supplied.
– Solar powered lights.
– Propane camp stove with propane.
– Meltwater pot and greywater pot.
– Cooking pots, plates, cups, cutlers and coffee maker.
– Outdoor toilet located beside the hut. Bring toilet paper.
– Shovel and fire extinguisher.

CABIN POLICY
We have a few items to help you and others enjoy the cabin, please read and respect:

1. The firewood and propane is flown in by helicopter each autumn at great expense, please conserve. Keep the stove door closed when burning wood, the glass can be cleaned with a rag and water. Please melt snow on the wood stove rather than using the propane. Summer users please collect dead wood in the forest for use outside, please do not use the expensive larch from inside the cabin.

2. Please use the outhouse (located beside the cabin) for everything, including urinating. Bacteria from urine works it way up through the snow-pack towards light creating a health hazard. You know where you urinate however the next group does not and could become ill from your bacteria. This is the reason why dogs are not allowed.

3. Our solar panel system can be compromised with prolonged snow cycles, please conserve. Please power the lights off when touring and on your departure.

4. Please ensure the propane is turned off when touring and on departure.

5. Please pack out everything that you bring including all tin, glass and food.

6. Ensure that the door and windows are closed and latched when leaving.

7. Properly clean the cabin for the next guests as per the Covid Policy, we have no custodian to clean after you.

8. Dogs are NOT permitted in the winter at as they put guests in danger due to contaminated snow which is used for water consumption.

ENJOY YOUR STAY AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT FACEBOOK.COM/FERNIETRAILS OR #FERNIETRAILS

TUNNEL CREEK PARKING ADVISORY

It’s unfortunate to report that the Tunnel Creek parking lot has been subject to fuel theft. Even worse, the culprits are drilling fuel tanks causing expensive damage to vehicles. At this time we suspect it’s happening late at night however it’s not confirmed. PLEASE report any suspicious activity to the RCMP and the FTSTC suggests […]

Hut Etiquette

The Alpine Club of Canada recently requested pieces of hut etiquette from their cabin users and they tallied up the responses and published the most requested pieces of hut etiquette. Their results are common sense and do apply with exception that our Fernie cabins are rented to groups only. Here is what was suggested, read […]

Tunnel Creek Renovations Planned for 2022

The FTSTC is planning for Tunnel Creek renovations the summer of 2022. The plan is to replace the existing Tunnel Creek bunk house with a superior structure that matches the existing day use structure. This renovation on the hut would increase the quality of overnight stays and improve the day use experience. The footing and […]

Cabin Bookings Details-Updated

On January 15, 2022 at 6am MST Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek bookings go online for the period from February 1st to April 15, 2022. The cabins can only be booked by Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club members. Individual and Family Club Memberships are available online here. Only Covid-19 Fully Vaccinated people can stay […]

Injured Skier at Tunnel Creek

Fernie Search And Rescue was activated on December 5th by a 911 call to respond to a report of an injured skier at Tunnel Creek Cabin. The two skiers had overnighted in the cabin and were due out that day. With very little flying time remaining, Fernie SAR Techs responded via helicopter for a rapid […]

Orca Bridge Completed

The weather cooperated, materials came together and a great group of volunteers came out to complete the Orca Bridge this past Saturday. With some help from Assent Helicopters the bridge was completed in only a few hours. The Orca Road Bridge is the preferred ski out from Thunder Meadows and is on Island Lake Lodges […]

Early Season Backcountry Skier Death

Konan Wendt, of Invermere, was out skiing for the day with three friends on Monday when tragedy struck on Robertson Glacier, Kananaskis Country. Robertson Glacier is a popular early season destination for backcountry skiers that is comparable in early season traffic to Fernie’s Harvey Pass. Wendt suffered a serious head injury when pitched forward into […]

Tunnel Creek and Thunder Meadows Bookings

THERE IS AVAILABILITY IN APRIL AND BOOKINGS ARE NOW OPEN FOR JULY 1 TO THE END OF OCTOBER. THERE ARE A FEW DAYS IN APRIL AVAILABLE AND THE TOURING CAN BE VERY GOOD. MAY CAN ALSO BE GOOD AND WE’LL CONSIDER OPENING FOR MAY DEPENDING ON CONDITIONS. The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club’s 2020 […]

Tunnel Creek Active Trapping

Tunnel Creek’s licensed trapper sent us a note advising of active trapping in the Tunnel Creek Area from November 21st to December 31, 2020. Backcountry adventurers share access in Tunnel Creek with a licensed trapper, trapping for fur bearing animals under the BC Wildlife Act. We ask you to please respect the trapper and his […]

Fernie Ski Touring Club Cabins Close

Unfortunately the Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club will be closing all cabins effectively immediately due to the immediate threat of Covid-19. These cabins include Thunder Meadows, Tunnel Creek and the Montane Hut. We ask you to please respect the closure. Island Lake Lodge has also shutdown operations as of March 18, 2020. Please refer […]

FTSTC Funds FTA

The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club (FTSTC) presented the Fernie Trails Alliance with a cheque for $4000. The cheque represented 50% of 2019’s collected membership funds, the remaining 50% will be used for FTSTC trail maintenance projects. The FTSTC introduced the new Fernie Trails Winter & Summer 2019 membership last year. This years 2020 […]

Winter Cabins Update

We have more firewood split and ready to transport than ever before. Why? So we don’t run out like we have the past two winters. Locating and transporting firewood in March is not fun. The skiing was good. Volunteers Welcome This Saturday we need help loading wood at 8:50am on Anderson Road. Look for the […]

Preparing cabins for the winter

Hello Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club members and friends. Now is the time when we start to think about preparing our cabins for the winter. Up first will be cutting and splitting firewood in preparation for being flown to each Hut. The first date is Wed Sept 18th at 5:30. This takes place at […]

Fernie Trails Winter & Summer 2019

The Fernie Trails & Ski Touring Club is pleased to announce the new Fernie Trails Winter & Summer 2019 membership. This membership includes Montane 4-season access, winter grooming, cabin access, summer trails and a FTA trail supporter pass. The “Fernie Trails Winter & Summer 2019” membership is available here for Winter & Summer 2019 $40/individuals […]

Fernie Huts Getting Ready for Winter

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club is preparing it’s backcountry overnight Fernie huts for a busy winter season. The Thunder Meadows and Tunnel Creek are basic backcounty huts geared towards ski and split-board mountaineering and are rented on a nightly basis. Each Autumn Club members get together to gather firewood, fill the propane and […]

Fernie Backcountry is closed

All hiking and biking trails in Fernie and surrounding area are closed. This included our cabins; Thunder Meadows, Montane and Tunnel Creek. Unfortunately our Harvey Hut burnt in the out-of-control Lodgepole fire on the weekend. In the interest of public safety, effective at noon Pacific Time on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, all Crown land within […]

Fire Ban at Cabins

The FT&STC has banned all fires at the Thunder Meadows, Montane Hut, and Tunnel Creek cabins until further notice. This ban applies to all fires including the wood stoves. The official fire ban issued from BC Wildfire is as follows: Campfire Ban in Place for Entire East Kootenay The entire East Kootenay is under a […]

Thunder Meadows via Cabin Bowl

I recently enjoyed a nice walk to Thunder Meadows via Cabin Bowl. Cornices were referenced in the Avalanche Report as being Considerable hazard and Polaris Bowl and Easy Street are known for such activity, so we took the long route for safety. It had been years since I climbed the summer trail in winter and […]

Fernie Brewing Donates

The Fernie Trails and Ski Touring Club (FT&STC) is very pleased to announce that Fernie Brewing Co. (FBC) donated $3671.64 to our club. Lets give a big thanks to FBC! This February 16th to March 31st, FBC featured the FT&STC in their “Cheers to Charity” fundraising program. The funds will help with ongoing trail and […]

Thunder Meadows firewood

Another change of season and few loads of firewood are in the air. Thunder Meadows cabin has a great supply of old larch to keep us warm and dry this winter! Here a a few pics from the harvest: