With summer in full swing, hikers and sightseers are gearing up to both gander and fully experience the beauty of Canada’s Rocky Mountains.
In fact, the Canadian Encyclopedia reports the national parks of the Canadian Rocky Mountains – Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kootenay National Park, Mount Revelstoke National Park, Waterton Lakes National Park and Yoho National Park – receive more than nine million visitors collectively every year.
Banff National Park alone saw over 800.000 visitors in July 2024, according to the Alberta Economic Dashboard.
One of the most important things to consider for visitors of the Rocky Mountains is safety.
Recently, two people were killed and thirteen others injured in a rockslide near Bow Glacier Falls, CTV News states.
The Calgary Herald also reported on the death of a skier in July of 2020. During the same month, a hiker died while hiking near Canmore and a woman died while scrambling in Kananaskis Country.
Since 2000, there have been over 300 deaths due to avalanches, according to Rocky Mountain Outlook.
While many people visit the Canadian Rockies to see its beautiful sceneries in person, safety should be a top priority. From wildlife to nature, there are a lot of invisible dangers in the Rocky Mountains.
Julie Jack, manager of the Calgary Outdoor Club + More, says that one of the most common mistakes people make when planning to go into the mountains is, “Not doing their homework. Not checking the weather or not having the right gear for the conditions.”
The Calgary Outdoor Club + More has grown from 340 members to 863 at last count since Jack took over as the manager in 2023. The club focuses on encouraging people to go outdoors and partake in activities such as hiking, biking and snowshoeing.
One system the Calgary Outdoor Club + More has in place to ensure safety is a rating system. When signing up for activities through the website, members can check the rating – the lowest rating, D1, indicates an easy rating, while the highest rating of D5 indicates a difficult rating.
Equipment is key for safety
Recently, Jack was hiking on Mount Baldy with her husband and saw a helicopter rescue a lady who had slipped while crossing an ice field. The lady had fallen halfway down.
“She did have a helmet on so that’s what saved her. If she didn’t… she wouldn’t be here today,” Jack says.
A helmet is only one of the many pieces of equipment that visitors of the Rocky Mountains should consider bringing along. Bear spray is commonly packed by people partaking in mountain activities, and a first aid kit should be a necessity in everyone’s backpack.
Clothing and shoes are also key factors to proper outdoor safety. Clothes should provide protection from the natural elements – such as breathable in the summer, and warm in the winter – and firm hiking boots are what Jack recommends for more difficult hikes. In the summer, hiking boots should have a good tread, according to Jack, while in the winter icers, microspikes or yak tracks should be worn.
Wildlife safety
One of the more glaring dangers of hiking is wildlife.
Parks Canada has identified 53 species of mammals in Banff National Park alone. These mammals include grizzly bears, black bears, moose, elk, various breeds of deer, cougars, wolves, coyotes and foxes. Bear spray is key when venturing into the Rocky Mountains.
“It is very cool to see wildlife in their environment, but you have to be aware that they are still very dangerous,” Jack says.
One of the things Jack warns about are bear cubs. Mother bears are protective of their young and will charge at people who get too close.
“Especially in the fall time when the bears are getting ready to hibernate, it’s always a practice of the parks that we have to travel in packs for safety,” Jack says.
Elk mating season is also a time to be cautious of, which typically lasts from August until October. Parks Canada states that elk become increasingly aggressive during this time to protect their harem, and it is recommended to keep at least 30 meters away and to never get between a male elk and the females.
The call for rescue
No matter how much you prepare for outdoor activities in the Rocky Mountains, injuries are still inevitable. Having a first aid kit on hand is ideal should an accident happen. Basic first aid should be applied: identify the injury and the severity of it, treat the injury with the available resources in the kit, and start heading back to the car.
But if the injury is too severe, or the injured person can’t get down to the car themselves, there could be the option to call for help. However, the mountains are notorious for the lack of cell service, especially in the more remote trails.
“If you don’t have cell service, then it might be a life or death situation,” Jack says.
In the case of having no cell service, travelling with a larger party is highly recommended. One member of the party can head down to the car or to where there is cell service to call for help, and the remaining member(s) can stay with the injured individual.
When it comes to evaluating when it’s no longer safe to keep trekking on mountain trails, Jack also recommends looking at the trail conditions and the weather.
“Sometimes you’ll get up to the top of the mountain and the clouds will start coming in, and maybe a snowstorm comes in or a rainstorm. So then the conditions of the trail are going to be more slippery and muddy, and you just have to assess the trail and know if you’re going to be able to get down safely.”
Higher altitudes present difficult situations. The air might be thinner at the tops of the mountains depending on altitude, and winds are harsher. Jack says that wind is not favorable when at the top of a ridge, as a strong gust might cause a devastating fall.
“You have to be aware,” advises Jack. “Don’t focus on your feet, look up and look around.”
Another danger of hiking up the mountains is loose rocks. Often, big groups of people may cause rocks to come loose, and they could slide down and cause injury. If there is a big group of people hiking ahead of you, it’s best to stay back and wait for them to finish climbing up before you start climbing.
“The amount of people that are up in the mountains nowadays has increased quite substantially,” Jack says. “So we always have to be aware.”
In addition, rocks may also slide down a mountain due to natural causes. The recent rockslide that occurred near Bow Glacier Falls was caused by water erosion originating from a lake at the top of the mountain.
One last piece of advice Jack gave was to always let someone who isn’t joining you into the mountains know the details about your undertaking: where you’re going, what trail you’re braving, with who, when you’re leaving and when you’re expecting to be back.
Safety is important no matter what outdoor activity you’re doing – hiking, snowboarding, or paddleboarding, to name a few. There are many dangers, some more prominent than others, but preparing for every scenario is a good idea to keep in the back of your mind.
“You never know what you’re going to run into,” Jack says.