Lots of people expressing love for Fernie here, and it is possibly my favourite place to ski. But a word of warning: it's not for everyone.

lets deal with the bad stuff first. The lifts are slow and often inconveniently located. You probably need to stay in town, a 15 minute drive away. The dining options are limited. There is no high-end accommodation if luxury is your thing. The transfer from Calgary is long and you will need to drive yourself.

But the biggest problem with Fernie is also its crowning glory: the skiing. A good intermediate skier could cover every groomed run in a single day if only the lifts were more efficient. For a skier based in Britain who wants to stay on piste, Fernie ranks amongst worst choice of ski resort on the planet. But all this means that Fernie is an incredible playground if you want to venture off piste to explore the bowls, glades, steeps, powder and even cliffs.

If the words, 'Double Black,' strike fear in your heart, don't go to Fernie. If a sign with two diamonds pointing down an impossibly steep trail of soft powder heading into a dense forest makes you jump with excitement, you should be there already.