Avalanche on Icefields Parkway

Much like the signs warning drivers of wildlife on the road, highways in this area have signage warning that this is avalanche country. In both cases the last place you expect to see a moose is where the sign warns you to be vigilant. With our bighorn sightings that occurred within the warning zone every time and then this scene, I'm beginning to believe.

This was just a few km up the Icefields Parkway. We passed it on the way in and I marked the location. On our return I pulled over and took a few shots. I did some research and found that this was supposed to be a controlled avalanche. Two American snow-shoers were killed in another avalanche close to this spot below Mount Hector.

Here is the CBC article I found date May 05, 2017:

More than 24 hours after an attempt to trigger a controlled avalanche brought down more snow than intended and buried part of the Icefields Parkway near Lake Louise, there's still no sign of when the section of road will be re-opened.

"We have road crews in there with heavy road machinery," Parks Canada spokesperson Tania Peters told CBC News Friday.

"We're working to clear out that debris. There is a large volume of it. It's going to take them some time," Peters explained.

The Icefields Parkway, which is a section of Highway 93 North, is blocked between Lake Louise and the Saskatchewan River Crossing. The snow debris is 15 metres deep and covers 100 metres of road, Peters said.

Crews triggered the initial avalanche as part of their seasonal risk reduction efforts, but it brought down more snow than intended.

"Routine avalanche control work on the Icefields Parkway yesterday

[Thursday] evening produced a larger result than expected from Mt. Hector," according to a statement on the Banff National Park Facebook page.

Park officials immediately closed Highway 93 north between the Trans-Canada Highway and Highway 11 after the avalanche was triggered.

At the time, officials expected the route to be closed for at least 24 hours.

Avalanche technicians and road crews remained on-scene Thursday night. 

Pictures posted with the article 

I could hear melt water rushing about 100 feet below the road. Notice the guard rail that was destroyed for about 125 feet. The 8 x 8 posts were snapped clean at the ground as were trees pictured.  Another article reported that last winter was the worst avalanche cycle in more than 25 years.

Pictures I took of the scene.

twisted guard rail

looking up the path of the avalanche

looking down the steep hill below the highway