Rockslide in Banff National Park closes popular climbing area

A significant rockslide in Banff National Park has led to the closure of a popular climbing area, prompting an investigation by Parks Canada. The rockfall occurred around 11 a.m. on Tuesday in the Rundle Rock area, situated east of the Banff Springs Golf Course.

According to a statement from Parks Canada, a substantial volume of rock descended, creating a rockslide path with extensive debris, including numerous large boulders, at the base of Mount Rundle. Images provided by Parks Canada illustrate the scale of the event, showing a large accumulation of boulders in the frequently visited climbing zone.

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a large amount of rock came down, leaving a rockslide path with a large amount of debris, including a significant number of boulders

Officials confirmed that there were no known injuries resulting from the rockslide, and "all known parties have been accounted for." The area extending from the Spray River bridge to the golf course loop, encompassing climbing sites like Rundle Rock, Rundlehorn, MacLab Slab, and Goldrush, has been closed to the public. Parks Canada staff were observed on Tuesday managing traffic near the Spray River Bridge to prevent access to the affected vicinity.

While the cause of the rockfall remains undetermined, Parks Canada indicated that the impacted zones will stay closed until a geotechnical assessment is completed. The public has also been advised to avoid the vicinity of Bow Falls and Golf Course Road to allow emergency personnel to conduct their work safely. Notably, the Banff Springs Golf Course reopened on Wednesday morning.

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all known parties have been accounted for.