	MFM 1 in 1965 print size		Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP05161do
Trying			Diesel replaced Steam Locomotives	Fernie Snow Valley mid 1960s
Times for		The Start of a New Era

COAL CREEK	A Resilient	MF & M Steam locomotive	Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP09964A _ DO	Fernie’ s business community refused to give up after the mine closed.
				Through the Chamber of

Community Built

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP010810

Commerce, they began

and FERNIE			on Adversity	searching for new ways to keep the town thriving. The
	When the CPR decided to replace its coal-	Chamber campaigned for a
	burning steam engines with diesel, the Crow’ s	federal prison, submitted a
	Nest Pass Coal Company suddenly lost its	bid to host a future Winter
	biggest customer. Realizing what this meant		Olympics in 1968, and
	for Coal Creek and Fernie, company leaders	helped create the Snow
	gathered prominent citizens and announced	Valley Ski Resort. A new

Disasters, wars and that the mines would soon close, permanently. The relatively new Elk River Colliery, once a major investment and source of steady production, was shut down at the end of era was beginning, shifting Fernie from a coal mining town to one also built on recreation, lifestyle and

economic depression shaped the people of Coal Creek and Fernie, strengthening the resilience of those who

January 1958, leaving hundreds of people

out of work and Fernie forever without the

important income from the Coal Creek mines.

AQUATIC CENTRE

No. 9 mine, tramway and new Elk River Colliery Tipple, in service when the mine closed in 1958. This new infrastructure was a $ 1.5 million investment, finished only a few years before its permanent closure.

tourism.

Fernie Snow Valley c. mid 1960s

worked in the mines and their families. But some changes were impossible to overcome.

1950s miners with their electric lamps

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP0009

Also on this panel: Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP0012 and FMP0CNA-004

FERNIE

MONTANE TRAILHEAD

approx. 1 km

COAL CREEK RD

RIVER RD- Closed to motorized vehicles

Coal Creek Heritage Trail

Coal Creek Heritage Trail- Phase 2

Other Trail

Road

Sign Locations

Road- Closed

Points of Interest

Coal Creek Heritage Trail June 2026 | Page 13

MFM 1 in 1965 print size

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP05161do

Trying

Diesel replaced Steam Locomotives

Fernie Snow Valley mid 1960s

Times for

The Start of a New Era

COAL CREEK

A Resilient

MF & M Steam locomotive

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP09964A _ DO

Fernie’ s business community refused to give up after the mine closed.

Community Built

Fernie & District Historical Society, FMP010810

Commerce, they began

and FERNIE

on Adversity

searching for new ways to keep the town thriving. The

When the CPR decided to replace its coal-

burning steam engines with diesel, the Crow’ s

Nest Pass Coal Company suddenly lost its

biggest customer. Realizing what this meant

Olympics in 1968, and

for Coal Creek and Fernie, company leaders

gathered prominent citizens and announced