The somber atmosphere in Banff National Park was palpable Wednesday morning as search and rescue teams resumed operations at the site of Tuesday’s devastating rock slide. The incident, which occurred near Lake Louise along the Icefields Parkway, has claimed at least one life and left emergency crews racing against time to locate other potential victims.
“We’re dealing with an extremely unstable area,” said RCMP Cpl. Susan Richter during an early morning press briefing. “The safety of our search teams is paramount, but we’re committed to a thorough operation given the circumstances.”
The slide, which witnesses described as “sounding like thunder,” sent thousands of tons of rock cascading down the mountainside shortly before noon on Tuesday. Early investigations suggest recent temperature fluctuations may have contributed to the instability in the rock face, a phenomenon increasingly common as climate patterns shift across the Canadian Rockies.
Parks Canada officials have established a 5-kilometer exclusion zone around the slide area while specialized geological teams assess the stability of surrounding formations. Tourists and visitors have been evacuated from nearby trails and facilities as a precautionary measure.
“This is peak tourist season, and the area was likely to have had hikers and sightseers,” noted Parks Canada spokesperson Martin Lefebvre. “We’re cross-referencing vehicle registrations at nearby parking lots with witness accounts to determine if anyone might still be unaccounted for.”
The victim, whose identity has not been released pending notification of family, was reportedly part of a small hiking group when the slide occurred. Three other members of the party escaped with minor injuries and were treated at Banff Mineral Springs Hospital.
For the tight-knit Banff community, the tragedy is a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of the wilderness that surrounds them. Local business owner Heather Mackenzie, whose tour company operates in the region, expressed the community’s collective grief.
“Everyone knows someone who works in the park or on the trails,” Mackenzie said. “When something like this happens, it affects us all deeply. But there’s also this understanding that the mountains command respect.”
The search effort has drawn resources from across Alberta, including specialized K-9 units trained in detecting human scent under debris and high-resolution drone technology to map the affected area. Geological engineers are using ground-penetrating radar to identify potential voids where survivors might be located.
According to Parks Canada statistics, rock slides of this magnitude occur approximately once every five years in Banff National Park, though rarely in areas with significant visitor traffic. The last fatal incident occurred in 2018, when two climbers were caught in a slide on Mount Andromeda.
Environmental scientists have noted that the increasing frequency of freeze-thaw cycles in the region—a direct consequence of climate change—has accelerated the weathering process in many rock formations throughout the Canadian Rockies.
“What we’re seeing is consistent with predicted climate impacts in alpine environments,” explained Dr. Jennifer Hodgins, a geologist with the University of Calgary. “When water infiltrates rock fissures and repeatedly freezes and thaws, it creates the perfect conditions for catastrophic failures.”
Park officials expect the search to continue through the week, with plans to gradually reopen affected areas once safety assessments are complete. The Icefields Parkway remains partially closed, with traffic being diverted to alternative routes.
For those planning visits to CO24 Breaking News has established a dedicated update page with real-time information on closures and conditions within the park.
As the search teams continue their difficult work among the fallen rock, the story of Tuesday’s slide serves as a powerful reminder of nature’s raw power—even in spaces we’ve come to think of as managed wilderness. In Banff, as the summer tourist season reaches its peak, visitors and locals alike are pausing to reflect on the fragile balance between enjoying and respecting these magnificent mountains.
