BANFF – Avalanche danger is considerable in Banff National Park on Sunday (Feb. 23) and is rated high along the Icefield Parkway after a recent snowfall.
As a result, the Icefields Parkway, part of Highway 93 North from Athabasca Falls to the Saskatchewan River Crossing is closed for avalanche control. The stretch of highway will reopen, depending on weather, on either Sunday or Monday (Feb. 23-24). The highway initially closed on Saturday (Feb. 22).
Hwy93N, S of jct Hwy93A near Athabasca Falls - CLOSED due to avalanche control work, Feb.22, starting at 5pm. Re-opening of the hwy is weather dependent & will occur on Feb.23 or Feb.24. #ABRoads
— 511 Alberta (@511Alberta) February 22, 2025
A forecast, prepared by Parks Canada on the Avalanche Canada website, said to “make conservative terrain choices while the storm snow settles and stabilizes.”
“Use increased caution at all elevations. Storm snow is forming touchy slabs,” states the warning.
Kananaskis Country is rated as high danger and large parts of British Columbia are also at a high or considerable danger.
Near Golden, B.C. on Friday (Feb. 21), a skier survived being caught in an avalanche after being taken around 200 metres down a gully. The skier was buried up to their neck in snow and suffered a lower leg fracture. The other party members were able to extract the skier, and the subject were transported to the local hospital by Golden and District Search and Rescue.
The incident on Friday follows an avalanche fatality on Kapristo Mountain near Golden on Feb. 17.
