Troy MacLachlan

I have known Troy MacLachlan and his wife, Carole Peterson for as long as I can remember. Not only are they my parents’ neighbours, but they are also dedicated and involved members of our community. Troy has owned The Quest Fall Line Snow Sports which is celebrating 25 years this year and Carole has been a municipal clerk at the City of Fernie for nearly that time as well! As always, through meeting with Troy over a coffee, I had the opportunity to learn so much more about their Fernie story. 

Troy grew up in Calgary and was interested in skiing from a young age, training and competing in ski racing. After high school, Troy started attending SAIT to become a mechanic, but after just a month realized that while he loved working on cars, he didn’t want to fix other people’s problems, so he left and joined the work force. His uncle worked at Fortress, and Troy got a job working for him for the winter leading up to the 1986 Olympics. 

“That is where I met Carole,” he tells me. “I didn’t enjoy the work at first, but she convinced me to stay. We were just friends at first.”

Once back in Calgary, Troy worked at a ski shop for a while and then got on at Safeway as a manager and was transferred to Banff.

“Banff was crazy,” Troy says. “It was full-on, all the time. I would go to work at 5am and come home at 6pm! Carole and I both had Huskies, and we couldn’t walk down main street as all of the tourists were obsessed with our dogs!”

While they lived in Banff, Carole and Troy came to Fernie regularly to ski as had friends living here. 

“We had decided that if we were going to have a family, we weren’t going to do it there (Banff). So, we did a tour of the Kootenays,” Troy says, adding that after the tour they knew that Fernie was the town for them. 

One of their Fernie friends, Scott Gerecke promptly called them on Friday the 13th when a house on 2nd Avenue was foreclosing. 

“’You should buy it,’ Scott said. So, Carole went down on Saturday and came back to say, ‘Well, there’s nothing we can’t do with it!’ We bought it in 1994 for $31,000, re-did every room in that house, and sold it for $150,000. It just sold for $650,000,” Troy says, our expressions of surprise mirroring one another.  

Troy and Carole had nothing to come to in Fernie but the house. Troy began working at Fernie Sports, eventually becoming a partner. He was keen do so something on his own, so partnered with Heinz Weixelbaum who had just bought the Fernie General Store building and together they created the Guide’s Hut. 

“And then two years later I started The Quest. I was at Nick Dunn’s third birthday, with Thomas Dunn and Bob Lemoine. Over a few beers, they suggested I open a rental shop. ‘I don’t have money for that,’ I answered. They asked what I would need to do it, and with the support of friends The Quest opened up on the Highway where Happy Cow is now. It was only rentals at first and Todd McDermid was my first employee,” Troy tells me. 

“We figured it out over time, offering tele and backcountry stuff, the opportunity to book the Thunder Meadows Cabin, and we always had coffee on with a sitting area and the latest magazines. Back then, we were fighting the big box stores like MEC. But people started to realize that if you bought it here, bought it local, you got the service.” 

After two years on the highway, The Quest moved up to Lizard Creek Lodge at Fernie Alpine Resort. 

“There was a little window when the ski hill was changing hands that we were able to get in there. It was expensive, but we had a lot of traffic… there used to be people lined up out the door of the restaurant! The British Tour groups helped; we didn’t have to rely on other rentals.”

The Quest officially started selling skis in 2005, and the bonus was people were able to demo before buying. “And now we sell more than we rent, although everyone tries them before they buy them,” Troy shares. The Quest now operates out of Snow Creek Lodge and the demand is high enough that people seek him out. He admits that they rarely advertise, “Just with the Fix!” he says, and that it’s truly word of mouth. The culture at The Quest is not to push people to buy, but rather to help people to find the best fit for them.

Another big part of Troy’s life is his role as a fire fighter with the Fernie Fire Department. He became a paid, on call firefighter with them in 1997, after Andre Bloemink both encouraged and sponsored him. “It was an easy ‘yes’ as we had just recently had a fire in our home,” Troy adds. 

“I didn’t realize it would result in a full-time position; I was just looking to be a part of the community. I started liking it more and more but still had to manage the business,” Troy says, adding that after being in business for 14 years and with many returning staff, he decided to go full time in 2008.

Not only has Troy participated as a small business owner for 25 years, but he has also been coming to people’s aid as a firefighter for 27 years. Two very admirable, lengthy roles in our community. 

“It’s been a lot of fun, and I’ve been able to develop great relationships with so many people," Troy tells me. “I am retiring from the firehall in May. I’m sad about that, and actually nervous about it. It’s a big change for me.” 

In BC, the employment of firefighters is terminated “no later than the last day of the month in which he or she attains age 60.”

“With the shop, we’re going to keep it rolling. I like it because it’s my social aspect, how I get to talk to people. Normally I’m not much of a talker but at the shop, I get to come out of my shell. I really enjoy seeing people and helping them to have fun. It also keeps me active in the winter. Otherwise, I would go south,” Troy shares, adding that his true love is mountain biking. Of course I know this, as we follow one another on Strava. You can imagine the trajectory of the conversation… bikes and more bikes. It’s hard for me to imagine him not being ‘much of a talker!’ 

Troy is a big believer in living your life fully, especially after the loss our community has experienced this year. He and Carole spend time biking and kitesurfing in La Ventana annually, on top of everything they enjoy doing in Fernie especially the time they spend with their two kids. 

Thank you, Troy for being such a dedicated member of our community. Maybe one day we’ll meet out on the trails in La Ventana! 

1. When did you first arrive in Fernie and what brought you here?
I came in 1994 and I came because of skiing. But the first time I skied here was in the 80s. 

2. Who do you remember first meeting?
Rob Morrison and Constance Stratton… they owned Cappuccino Corner. We loved how friendly it was! They always remembered us; it was just really easy. 

3. Do you remember your first general impression of Fernie?
My first impression was that it was a quiet ski town that had so much potential. 

4. What keeps you here?
The community and the summers. 

5. Do you have a favourite pastime?
I love mountain biking. It’s where I recharge… from everything. 

6. What time of the year do you love most and why?
Well, I love the fall because I love the colours. I love that I can get out in the morning to walk the dogs, and then get out for a ride and enjoy the warmth of the afternoon. 

7. Where do you see or hope to see Fernie in five years?
I hope to see positive growth in Fernie, and I hope some of the amenities that the town needs being addressed. A nice new community centre, a new firehall… just positive growth. 

8. How do you start your day or what is one of your daily rituals?
I usually start my day by making coffee in the morning and then walking with the dogs. 

9. Tell us something people might be surprised to learn about you.
My family is number one, all of the time. 

10. Quote to live by: I enjoy every day, so I just live every day.