Snow-covered limestone peaks and a broad alpine bowl in the Lizard Range beneath a deep blue sky

Fernie, British Columbia · The Lizard Range

Explore Our Cat Skiing Terrain
in the Canadian Rockies

Alpine bowls, old-growth glades and 104 named runs.

Winter 2027 · Limited to 36 skiers

This terrain sells out every season. Join the waitlist and we'll reach out when space opens.

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5,000Skiable acres

2,400Feet of elevation range

104Number of named runs

45 ftAverage annual snowfall

The scale of the place

Big mountain.
Small company.

Island Lake’s 5,000 skiable acres sit in the Lizard Range near Fernie, British Columbia, in the Canadian Rockies. Beneath the Three Bears, open alpine bowls lead into ridgelines, rolling terrain and glades through the Cedar Valley’s old-growth forest.

Just 36 winter guests share the skiing. A snowcat carries your group uphill, and guides choose the descent to suit the snow, visibility and your group’s ability. The terrain helped draw Craig Kelly and Scot Schmidt here and became the setting for a generation of ski and snowboard films.

Last light on a snow-covered peak in the Lizard Range

Know the landscape

From cedar glades to alpine bowls.

Open slopes and forest terrain offer different ways to experience the mountain. These are natural, ungroomed runs, with snow that can change between elevations and aspects.

Room above the trees

Alpine bowls

Geisha Bowl faces the lodge decks, stretching from Spineback Ridge towards Faceshots. Cabin Bowl forms the eastern edge of the ski terrain, where alpine lines lead into tree skiing. Guides use these open slopes when visibility and snow stability allow.

Explore Geisha Bowl

Through the Cedar Valley

Glades & tree skiing

Runs beneath the Three Bears connect open terrain with gladed forest. Mount Baldy adds ridgelines and sheltered tree-skiing options, with some runs returning close to Bear Lodge. Trees can provide visual reference in flat light, but snow conditions and mountain hazards still govern access.

Explore Mount Baldy

Lodge to upper ski starts

The elevation range

The lodge sits at approximately 4,600 feet (1,400 metres), with upper ski starts around 7,000 feet (2,130 metres). That is roughly 2,400 feet (730 metres) of elevation range, rather than the length of every run. Drop-offs and pickups vary with the route.

Read the skiing details

Elevations are approximate, based on Island Lake’s published trip information. Skiable acreage describes the mountain’s terrain; the area available on a particular day depends on conditions.

How the day takes shape

Your guides read the mountain.

A good route begins before the first snowcat leaves and changes as the day unfolds.

Before skiing

Start with the observations.

Morning meetings bring together weather, field observations, snow stability and shared InfoEx information. The snow-safety team and road builder assess terrain and access before groups head out.

On the mountain

Match the run to the day.

Guides weigh visibility, wind, aspect and snow conditions alongside your group’s ability, pace and energy. The alpine may suit one day; a sheltered forest run may be the better choice on another.

Between runs

Keep reassessing.

Guides stay in radio contact and watch how the snow and group are changing. They can adjust the route, close terrain or end skiing when conditions call for it. A named run on the map is an option, not a daily promise.

How our snow-safety program works Read the guides’ latest conditions report