Heavy snowfall has triggered road and trail closures for avalanche safety in Canmore, Alberta, even as weather warnings for the region expired on March 26, 2026. Environment Canada ended its snowfall alert on Thursday afternoon after the area saw between 20 and 30 centimetres of accumulation. Some locations in the mountains received up to 40 centimetres during the storm.
Alberta Parks has closed Highway 742, also known as Spray Lakes Road, between the Grassi Lakes Day Use Area and Goat Creek. The entire Grassi Lakes trail system is also off-limits while crews perform avalanche control work on the slopes above the trails. Officials have not yet determined when these areas will reopen to the public.
The risk of slides is currently rated as high to extreme across Kananaskis Country and nearby national parks due to heavy snow and strong winds. Experts found a weak layer of snow buried up to 100 centimetres deep that became unstable during recent warming and storms. This same weather system caused a massive avalanche on March 21, 2026, which covered a 250-meter section of the Icefields Parkway in snow up to six metres deep.
Hikers and bikers are being warned about icy conditions and fallen trees on several local routes. Recent wind storms have knocked down many trees along the Montane Traverse and Johnny’s Trails. Maintenance crews are currently working to clear the debris and assess further damage to the trail network.
