Parks Canada extends seasonal avalanche-control closures to five mountain parks

Parks Canada has added seasonal avalanche-control closure zones in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier national parks to the orders already in force for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay. The November 1 bulletin for the two British Columbia parks authorizes temporary closures through the end of the seasonal control program; the earlier order for the other three parks runs from November 1 through May 30, 2027.

These orders do not shut all five parks for the winter. They establish specific avalanche paths and adjacent terrain that can be closed while crews use explosives or other systems to reduce the risk to highways, railways and developed areas. Parks Canada says the public must stay out whenever a zone is active, and entering a legal closure can lead to prosecution and a maximum C$25,000 penalty.

In Banff, Yoho and Kootenay, an individual control closure is generally expected to last about 24 to 36 hours. Timing is normally announced about a day in advance through avalanche bulletins, park channels and signs. The Mount Revelstoke and Glacier order does not promise the same duration, so travelers should treat its live bulletin and field notices as controlling.

The practical effect depends on the exact mountain corridor. The first order lists areas along Highway 93 North, the Sunshine access road and multiple backcountry zones. The second covers named zones in Mount Revelstoke and Glacier, where Parks Canada operates one of the world's largest mobile avalanche-control programs along the Trans-Canada Highway. A through-road can remain open while nearby terrain is legally closed, or traffic can be delayed during active control.