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An interesting article written by one of our Canmore locals. This recovery was performed in very challenging conditions over a period of many days, two of our Canmore rescue pilots were tasked during this mission. With the arrival of the RECCO helicopter search tool we hope to minimize the risk put on these rescuers by using the device in these scenarios. Kudos to Adam and Brooke as well as the rest of the Parks Mountain Safety team that completed this complex mission. Finally, a big thank you to all of our Rescue pilots(Paul, Perry, Chris, Todd, Guy and Mark) for quietly performing these types of missions 365 days of the year.

A 37-year-old man was killed in an avalanche in the Lions Bay area, south of Squamish, say search and rescue officials. Martin Colwell of Lions Bay Search and Rescue identified Ryoji Fujita of . . .

Due to evolving circumstances, the Town of Canmore has made the decision to declare a State of Local Emergency (SOLE). With the recent restriction of visitor vehicle access in Banff National Park, combined with the high volume of local and regional visitation that has persisted in our community, we are at a tipping point in our ability to respond to this evolving emergency. This will give us the increased authority to take additional measures to protect the Canmore community. While the SOLE allows us to take additional action within the municipality, it does not allow us to close the highway, which is under provincial jurisdiction. We have also closed municipal playgrounds. We are, however, installing signage at the entrances to the Town of Canmore to discourage visitation to our mountain town. We will also monitor trailheads and parking areas within Canmore (Bow Bridge, Quarry Lake, Cougar Creek) and take measures to restrict access if necessary. As a short-term measure, residents and business owners can defer property tax and utility payments for April, May, and June for 90 days without penalty or interest. We will also be looking at be considering other longer-term options to support the financial health of our community. Our most important message to you is to please avoid all non-essential travel to help stop the spread. This also applies to local Canmore residents who need to follow social distancing guidelines and avoid trips outside of Canmore. This is a stressful time for everyone, and it is important to show compassion and understanding of others. This is a time for community, for caring, and to show the Canmore spirit. Rest assured that your mayor and council stands beside all of you now more than ever, and we will continue to do everything within our power to keep our community strong.

The Kananaskis Country public safety team is asking for cooperation from Kananaskis backcountry users to choose outdoor activities that are low-risk during the COVID-19 response. Users should choose activities in areas that support emergency access and present minimal challenges and/or hazards. Backcountry assistance has the potential to add unnecessary stress to the health care system, put public safety staff at risk, including to exposure to COVID-19, which could then impact resources to support search and rescue. Thanks for you assistance during this challenging time.

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY........ Alpine Helicopters Inc. has ceased operation on all tourism related flights from our Canmore and Stoney Nakoda bases for the next two weeks, we are optimistic of this time frame but will re-evaluate as the situation progresses. The safety of our staff and general public are of the utmost concern during this unprecedented global situation. Our backcountry partners Assiniboine Lodge and Talus Lodge have also decided to close for the remainder of their winter seasons. By closing these lodges and our tourism operation we are optimistic that we are making the correct decisions for the local community and Canadians as a whole. OUR RESCUE SERVICES REMAIN FULLY FUNCTIONAL with a limited number of crew to minimize potential exposure to the Covid-19 virus. Todd Cooper Canmore- Stoney Nakoda Base Manager.

COVID has turned the world inside out. Borders are closed, people are quarantined and multi million dollar events have been cancelled. And yet, the most important thing is our collective health. Talus Lodge is closed effective March 16. Photo @leonardo_imbimbo- - - https://www.taluslodge.com/covid-19/

It was a tough decision but we will be closing on Sunday for the remainder of the winter season. It is a precautionary measure to try and minimize person to person contact. We would like to thank our amazing guests for the great season that we are so sad to see end early. Wishing all our friends good health.

On March 12th our Canmore Rescue Helicopter was dispatched by our friends from Parks Mountain Safety for two separate skiing incidents. The first call came from the Peyto Moraine area for a skier with a knee injury, the patient was transported to Lake Louise. The second call was also for a knee injury in the Helen Lake area, the patient was transferred to Banff for further evaluation.

We will be assisting our friends from Parks Mountain Safety, Kananaskis Public Safety Section and Mt.Norquay in various avalanche control missions tomorrow.

 

A HUGE thank you to all of you who came out on Saturday for our open house. It was great to see so many people and kids come down and enjoy an afternoon with us. Congratulations to Mamiko Kawano for winning a trip for two to Assiniboine Lodge. Lastly, we would like to thank Assiniboine Lodge, Valbella Gourmet Foods, Kananaskis Country Public Safety Section, Alberta Parks, Andrew Young and Shasta, Parks Mountain Safety, and Parks Canada Fire Management.