The Icefields Parkway is closed south of Parker's Ridge, and if you're hoping for a firm reopening date, Parks Canada would like you to know that they'll get back to you on that.
A size 4 avalanche on Mount Hector – triggered during routine control work on 21 March – sent a wall of snow across a 250-metre section of the highway roughly 18 kilometres north of Lake Louise. The slide deposited an estimated 12 metres of snow on the road. For context, that's the height of a four-storey building sitting on one of Canada's most-travelled scenic highways.
The Part That Is Open (And the Larger Part That Isn't)
As of 1:00 pm on Tuesday, 24 March, Parks Canada reopened the Icefields Parkway between Jasper and Parker's Ridge. That's welcome news for anyone travelling the northern section. The stretch south of Parker's Ridge, however, remains closed until further notice – and the situation isn't improving quickly. Avalanche control work carried out since the initial slide has itself triggered multiple additional avalanches, adding to the snow already on the road.
Heavy equipment – dozers, excavators, loaders, and snowploughs – is now working to clear the affected sections. Parks Canada has been direct about expectations: due to the volume of snow involved, a prolonged closure should be anticipated.
Twelve Metres Is Not a Rounding Error
To be clear about the scale: this is not a dusting that a good snowplough run will sort out by morning. The slide path reached the highway itself, burying a quarter-kilometre of road under snow deeper than most houses are tall. Avalanche Canada's forecast issued 24 March notes that up to 40 cm of new snow, combined with strong to extreme winds, is expected to push the hazard to High in the alpine. Conditions are not trending toward a quick resolution.
The highway had already been closed due to avalanche danger before the size 4 slide was triggered. No one was caught in it.
What This Means If You're Travelling Soon
If your plans involve driving the full length of the Icefields Parkway – Banff to Jasper or the reverse – those plans need to change for now. The northern section between Jasper and Parker's Ridge is accessible, but the southern portion connecting to Lake Louise and Banff remains off the table.
Parks Canada closes roads only when conditions present a genuine risk to motorists. Anyone travelling in the area should check Alberta 511 for current road conditions before setting out, and monitor the Jasper National Park and Banff National Park social channels for updates. The Banff Guide will update this post as new information becomes available.
The mountain sent twelve metres of snow down onto the road. The mountain is, for the moment, winning.
Image and Video – Parks Canada