Yamnuska will be closing from the end of May to November for safety improvements after receiving over 50 rescue/calls annually.
According to Alberta Parks, Yamnuska will be closed this summer due to construction crews upgrading sanctioned trail sections, constructing new sections and decommissioning non-sanctioned ones.
Mount Yamnuska is located in Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park at the
most easterly point of the Bow Valley, accessed off Highway 1A. The
mountain features a beautiful south facing cliff wall that stands over 360 m in height and provides hiking, scrambling and climbing opportunities.
The entire mountain will close to reduce danger to hikers, scramblers, climbers, and contractors. There is the danger of falling rocks from all these parties so a complete closure is necessary for safety reasons.
The area closure includes:
• The trailhead parking lot.
• All access and all trails, routes and climbs on the mountain.
• The scramble route and the hiking trail accessing the east and west
sides of the mountain.
• The climbers access trail to the base of the mountain.
• The Yamnuska Cliffs, Yamnuska Bluffs and Big Choss bouldering.
• Access from the Yamnuska Day Use (parking lot) to CMC valley.
• Access to the mountain from Goat Buttress and CMC Valley
Alberta Parks is upgrading sanctioned trails and constructing a new trail on the mountain including:
• Main East Trail – Upgrade to Raven’s End. Decommission all other
unsanctioned routes.
• Main West Trail – Upgrade to the bottom of the scree slope.
• Climber’s Access Trail – Upgrade to the base of Yamnuska Cliffs.
• New West Col Descent Trail – Construct a new descent trail that
connects the West col to the bottom of the scree slope and the Main
West Trail.
• Scramble Route – Install directional wayfinding signage.
Yamnuska or Îyâ Mnathka in Stony has increased in popularity with hikers and scramblers. With the increase of visitation, Kananaskis Public Safety and Conservation Officers are consistently responding to over 50 rescue calls/year. Incidents include lost or exhausted hikers, minor injuries, life-threatening and life-altering injuries, and fatalities. This high number of public safety calls on one mountain is straining limited resources.
Just a reminder that the land east of Yamnuska and Bow Valley Wildland Provincial Park is Stoney Nakoda Nation reservation land. Please do not access any area on or behind the mountain through reservation land. You would be trespassing.
Conservation Officers will enforce the area closure under the Provincial Parks Act.
What do you think about this closure? Will it accomplish it’s goal to save lives? Voice your opinion on the Bow Valley Network Facebook group.
For more information please visit Alberta Parks
