Boulton Creek Campground including campground loops,
the Boulton Creek Trading Post area and trails accessing
the Boulton Creek Amphitheatre: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for Boulton Creek Campground including all campground loops,
the area in the vicinity of the Boulton Creek Trading Post
and trails accessing the Boulton Creek Amphitheatre. Bears
have been feeding on ripe berries in the area.
Please note that the "Bear
Closure" posted on August 24th is still
in effect for the section of Whiskey Jack
Trail in Boulton Campground from the ‘A’ loop
road to where the trail crosses the campground road between
‘B’ and ‘C’ loops.
August 30th, 2010:
Buller Pass Trail: Due to guard
burning for the Buller Creek prescribed
fire, the Buller Pass Trail
is closed from the trailhead to Buller Pass
until further notice.
Section of Mount Kidd Interpretive Trail:
The "Bear Closure"
has been lifted
for the ‘Picnic Island’ section of the Mt. Kidd
Interpretive Trail at the Mt. Kidd RV Park. Note that a
Bear Warning remains on the interpretive trail and throughout
Mt. Kidd RV Park.
Bluerock Campground: The "Bear
Warning" has been lifted
at Bluerock Campground.
August 26th, 2010:
Many Springs Trail, Bow Valley Provincial Park:
A " Bear Warning"
has been posted
for Many Springs Trail in Bow Valley Provincial Park. Bears
have been feeding on berries in the area. Conservation
officers recommend that hikers carry bear spray, be observant,
make noise and keep dogs on leash at all times.
August 24th, 2010:
Short Section of Whiskey Jack Trail in Boulton
Campground: A "Bear
Closure" has been posted
on a short section of Whiskey Jack Trail in Boulton Campground,
from the ‘A’ Loop road to where the trail crosses
the campground road between ‘B’ and ‘C’
loops. The closure is due to a grizzly sow with a young-of-the-year
cub feeding on ripe berries. The remainder of Whiskey Jack
trail and all of Boulton Campground remain open.
Upper Kananaskis Lake Area Trails and Backcountry
Campgrounds: The "Bear
Warning" in the Upper Kananaskis Lake
area has been expanded
to include the entire Upper Kananaskis Lake trail circuit.
This warning includes the Three Isle Lake and Maude-Lawson
trails; also Point, Forks, Three Isle and Turbine backcountry
campgrounds. The warning is due to a grizzly sow and two
young-of-the-year cubs feeding on ripe berries in the area.
Conservation officers recommend
that trail users hike in groups of four or more, be observant,
make noise and keep dogs on leash at all times.
August 20th, 2010:
Mount Kidd RV Park: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for the Mt. Kidd RV Park, including the interpretive trail
along the Kananaskis River and the power line area.
August 19th, 2010:
Paddy’s Flat Campground and Group Campground:
The "Bear Warning"
has been lifted
for Paddy’s Flat Campground and Group Campground.
Peter Lougheed region including, Three Isle Lake,
Maude- Lawson and Upper Kananaskis Lakes Trails as well
as Point, Forks, Turbine Canyon and Three Isle Lakes Backcountry
Campgrounds: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
on the Three Isle Lake and Maude- Lawson trails. This warning
includes the Forks, Three Isle, Turbine and Point Backcountry
Campgrounds as well as the Upper Kananaskis Lakes Trail
from North Interlakes Day Use to Point Campground. The warning
is due to a grizzly sow and two young of the year cubs feeding
on ripe berries in the area.
Due to the presence of ripe
berries in this region, trail users and campers are recommended
to hike in groups of four or more, be observant, make noise
and keep dogs on leash at all times.
August 18th, 2010:
Lodgepole Paved Bike Path: The "Bear
Warning" has been lifted
for the Lodgepole Paved Bike Path in Peter Lougheed Provincial
Park. Due to the continuing presence of abundant ripe berries
in this area, trail users are reminded to be
especially vigilant regarding bear safety at this time.
August 17th, 2010:
Kananaskis Village Area Trails: Due to
bear activity
and the presence of ripe berries in the area, a "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for the following Kananaskis Village area trails: Ribbon
Creek Trail southwest to Ribbon Falls, Kovach, Aspen, Terrace
Link and Terrace Trail south to the Galatea Creek Trail
junction.
August 16th, 2010:
Chester Lake Trail and entire Chester Basin:
The "Bear Closure"
has been lifted
for the Chester Lake Trail and the entire Chester Lake basin
encompassed by The Fortress, Mt. Chester and Mt. Galatea.
Bill Milne Paved Bike Path: The "Bear
Closure" on the Bill Milne Paved Bike
Path has been expanded
to include the section from Ribbon Creek Day Use Area to
Centennial Road at the Kananaskis Village. The only sections
of the Bill Milne paved bike path which remain open are
the one-kilometre stretch between Ribbon Creek Day Use and
Kovach Pond, and the 1.4-kilometre section north from Wedge
Pond to where it crosses Highway 40; a "Bear
Warning" remains on these.
August 8th, 2010:
Section of Bill Milne Paved Bike Path:
A "Bear Closure"
has been posted
for a section of the Bill Milne paved bike path, from the
Kananaskis River bridge south to where it crosses Highway
40 one kilometre north of Wedge Pond.
Note that a "Bear Warning"
remains in place on the rest of the Bill Milne paved bike
path and on the Wedge Connector Trail.
Reservoir South of Canmore Nordic Centre, Quarry
Lake, Dog Pond and Highline Trail: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for the following areas: the reservoir south of the Canmore
Nordic Centre, Quarry Lake, Dog Pond and the entire Highline
Trail. Trail users are reminded to be observant, make lots
of noise, avoid using headphones, and keep dogs on leash.
August 3rd, 2010:
Bill Milne Paved Bike Path: Due to bear
activity, a "Bear Warning"
has been posted
on the northern section of the Bill Milne paved bike path,
from the Kananaskis Village to Ribbon Creek. Note
that a bear warning remains in place for the Bill Milne
paved bike path from the Kananaskis River bridge south to
Wedge Pond.
Sibbald Lake Campground and Day Use Area:
Due to black bear activity, a "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for Sibbald Lake Campground and Day Use Area.
Please note re: Banff National Park – Lake
Minnewanka Trail and Campgrounds:Please
note that due to bear activity the Lake Minnewanka Trail
and all Lake Minnewanka Campgrounds including LM 8, LM9,
LM 11, LM 20, LM 22 and LM 31 are now closed.
This closure also includes Aylmer Pass Trail between Lake
Minnewanka Trail and the Banff Park/Ghost River Wilderness
Area boundary. This information is included here for visitors
trying to access the area via the Ghost River Wilderness
Area. For additional information please contact the Banff
Parks Visitor Information Centre at 403-762-1550.
July 31st, 2010:
Buller Pass Trail/Buller Creek: Please
note that guard burning operations have commenced for the
"Buller Creek Prescribed Fire". As a result visitors
may experience travel delays
along the Smith-Dorrien/Spray Trail (Highway 742) and see
smoke in the area.
The Buller Pass Trail remains open but hiking
in the area is not recommended.
July 21st, 2010:
Chester Lake Area: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for the Chester Lake Trail, including the Chester Lake shoreline
and routes in the Chester Lake basin.
July 20th, 2010:
Bill Milne Paved Bike Path and Wedge Connector
Trail: A "Bear
Warning" has been posted
for the following trails: the Bill Milne paved bike path
(formerly the Evan-Thomas bike path) extending south from
the Kananaskis River bridge to the Wedge Pond Day Use Area,
the Wedge Connector Trail, and the Evan-Thomas Fire Road
from the Evan-Thomas Day Use Area to the Wedge Connector
junction.
June 23rd, 2010:
Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park:
A "Bear Warning"
has been posted at
the Canmore Nordic Centre. Conservation officers remind
trail users to be observant, make noise on trail, travel
in groups and carry bear spray. Dogs must be on leash at
all times.
May 16th, 2010:
Portion of Evan-Thomas Dump: Due to bear
activity, the southernmost section of the
Evan-Thomas Dump is closed.
Access remains to the northern section of the dump.
April 21st, 2010:
Evan-Thomas Fire Road Trail, Kananaskis Valley:
Please note that the first few kilometres of the Evan-Thomas
Fire Road Trail are in a wet, muddy, soft and "disturbed"
condition due to ongoing construction of a fire break. This
trail condition and the use of machinery in the area is
expected to continue until further notice.
March 30th, 2010:
Sandy McNabb Campground, Equestrian Camp and Day Use Area:
Please note that the Sandy McNabb Campground, including
the Equestrian Campground and Day Use Area, are now closed
for refurbishment;
they will remain closed for the rest of this year.
Due to construction, trails which traverse through the campground
are also closed. The Sandy McNabb overflow and trailhead
access on the north side of Highway #546 remain open.
March 15th, 2010:
Sheep River Provincial Park Office: Please
note that, effective immediately and until further notice,
the Sheep River Provincial
Park Office will no longer offer visitor information services
on a regular basis. For information, please
contact the Barrier Lake Visitor Information Centre, phone
403-673-3985, or Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Visitor
Information Centre, phone 403-591-6322.
Avalanche
Report Web Page To get a printer-friendly version of the current avalanche
report, pleaseClick
Here. Pleaseread
heresome tips about "How to Print
Colour Tables From this Printer-friendly Version."
Although almost all graphical web browsers will display
Avalanche Danger Scales colours on the screen, if you print
the printer-friendly page on a colour printer, these colours
will no longer appear. Omitting the background colour and
shading or image is usually beneficial because printing
a non-white background or shaded areas could result in an
unreadable hard copy if printed in black and white, and
extremely slow printing when printing in color. It may also
waste a lot of ink.
However, in this case it is critical to get these green,
red, orange and yellow ratings printed.
So in order to print these colours, please get a look
below at the instructions for some web browser programs.
Please keep in mind this information is not meant to indicate
a recommendation of a particular web page browser, only
to tell you where the control that needs adjusting has been
found in various versions.
In Firefox version 2 and up, select "File" ->
"Page Setup"... and other "Options",
check the box marked "Print Background (colors & images)."
In Internet Explorer, select "Tools" -> "Internet
Options" -> "Advanced" -> scroll down
to "Printing" and select "Print Background
Colours and Images."
In Apple Safari, it (by default) will print colours in the
tables.
Accidents happen—sometimes when you least expect
it. A twisted ankle, an unexpected illness, or getting caught
out in severe weather, and can’t make it out of the
backcountry. This is when you need help.
Calling for help:
In any emergency, call the Kananaskis Country Emergency
Services Centre for help. Dial 911 from a pay or cell phone—but
remember that cell phone coverage can be limited in many
locations in Kananaskis.
Tell the dispatcher that it’s an emergency in Kananaskis
Country. The dispatcher will then transfer you to the Kananaskis
Country Emergency Services Centre dispatch who will then
ask you a series of questions to get a better understanding
of your emergency. With satellite phones, dialing 911 may
transfer you to an emergency centre unfamiliar with Kananaskis,
so it’s important to call the local emergency number
of
403-591-7767. No matter how you make your call, you’ll
need to give:
• the
exact location of the emergency
• the nature of the accident and the seriousness of
any injuries
• your name and your call back number
• when the accident occurred
Once you have passed this information to the dispatcher,
a Kananaskis Country Public Safety Specialist will be notified,
and the best course of action will be determined.
On occasion, a helicopter may be used for a backcountry
rescue. The rescue staff in the helicopter are not able
to communicate with persons on the ground—so it’s
imperative that standard visual signals are used to reduce
confusion. Dispatchers will coach you how to make these
signals but knowing them before heading into the backcountry
is valuable. Know before you go!
No one plans on having a bad day. Plan ahead, be prepared,
take care,
and enjoy the mountains…safely!
—the Kananaskis Country
Public Safety Team
Those on the ground with a satellite phone or with a cell
phone in range are best equipped to remain in communication
with dispatch, to reduce confusion as the helicopter approaches.
We encourage all parties who travel in the backcountry to
be fully prepared and plan to self rescue if the unexpected
comes up.
Kananaskis Country Latest Detailed Trails Reports &
Web Cams Please refer first to “Important
Notes” (see above box) for
current and latest closures, warnings, etc. when preparing
your outing.
- Highway #40; Peter Lougheed
Provincial Park to Highwood House Junction is
closed December 1st to June 14th inclusive.
- Highway #940; Section South of Cataract Creek is closed
December 1st to April 30st inclusive.
- Highway #532 is not maintained from December 1st.
- Highway #66; West of Elbow Falls and the Powderface Trail
is closed December 1st to May 14th inclusive.
- Highway #546; West of Sandy McNabb Campground is closed
December 1st to May 14th inclusive.
- McLean Creek Trail Road is closed December 1st to April
30th inclusive.
- Spray Lake West Road is not maintained.
- Powderface Trail Road is closed December 1st to May 14th
inclusive.
- Gorge Creek Trail Road is closed December 1st to May 14th
inclusive and permanently closed from Ware Creek Day Use
Area to Gorge Creek Day Use Area due to 2005 flooding.
Backcountry Camping Permits:
Backcountry camping permits are required at all designated backcountry
campgrounds in Kananaskis Country. Random backcountry camping
without a permit is allowed in most Wildland Provincial Parks
(excepting Sparrow Hawk and Memorial Lakes areas) and Provincial
Forest Lands.
Backcountry camping permits cost $12.00 per person (aged 16 and
older) per night. A non-refundable reservation fee of $10.00 (GST
included) will be applied to all telephone and advance bookings.
These fees are used to offset the cost of the Kananaskis Country
backcountry camping and trails program. Persons under 16 years
of age are not required to pay the fee, but do require a permit.
Permits can be purchased in person at Barrier Lake Visitor Information
Centre and the Peter Lougheed Provincial Park Visitor Information
Centre during normal hours of operation.
To purchase a permit by phone contact 403-678-3136 (In Alberta
toll-free by first dialing 310-0000). It is always a good idea
to phone ahead to ensure that you can obtain a campsite.
PLEASE REPORT HAZARDS AND TRAIL CONDITIONS TO OUR VISITOR CENTRES.
NOTE: Trail users, please use caution
and be prepared for fallen trees, washouts and other natural hazards.
Backcountry users are advised to check the "Avalanche
Report" on the Kananaskis Country website.
NOTE: Permits are required for all
backcountry camping in Kananaskis Provincial Parks and some areas
of Wildland Provincial Parks. These can be purchased in person
at Kananaskis Country Visitor Centres, or by phone at (403) 678-3136
(to make this a toll-free call, dial the government rite line
at 310-0000). Permit costs are $8.00 per night for people aged
sixteen and older. There is also a non-refundable administration
fee of $10.00 and GST. Please note that 48 hours notice of cancellation
is required for a refund of camping permit fee.
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