🙋‍♂️Americans Want Our Canmore

Good morning, Bow Valley!

Another snow dump is incoming. A mix of rain and snow will hit the Canmore-Exshaw-Ghost Lake region this morning, shifting to heavy snowfall through Wednesday night. Totals could reach 30 cm by Thursday morning. Expect reduced visibility, messy roads, and shoveling muscles you forgot you had. On the bright side, we’ve got over 500 waterfalls to dream about—more on that later.

In today’s Bow Valley Insider:

• Another Parks Canada update on the aquatic invasive species situation

• A country music star breaks the internet while stopping in Banff

• Americans are told to retire in Canmore

• Plus, hiking a frozen classic, Ladies’ Ski Days, summer camping reservations, & more!

Let’s get to it!

— Fortune Whelan & Ben S.

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YOHO & KOOTENAY WATERS STAY CLOSED—AGAIN

What’s Happening? Call it a sequel nobody wanted: Parks Canada has extended the waterbody closure in Yoho and Kootenay National Parks again, now through spring 2026, as officials gather more data on the spread of whirling disease.

Why It Matters? We covered the original shutdown when the disease was first spotted in Emerald Lake. Since then, it’s popped up in more locations across the parks—and potentially beyond. The parasite, which spreads via freshwater worms, can devastate trout and whitefish populations, with mortality rates as high as 90% in some streams.

Behind the Scenes. Officials are testing water samples for environmental DNA, electro-fishing, and even caging hatchery fish to track exposure. No quick fixes here—removal efforts aren’t feasible in rivers, so long-term management is likely.

Looking Ahead. Parks Canada is eyeing a mountain park-wide strategy for aquatic invasive species. Expect more staffing at hot spots like Emerald Lake, and yes, even your inflatable unicorn will need to follow the rules.

TASTE THE WORLD—WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR KITCHEN

From German schnitzel to Spanish paella, hosting an international student means sharing stories over home-cooked meals—and sometimes even getting treated to one yourself.

Just ask the two local families whose Italian students didn’t know each other before arriving, but quickly bonded over skiing and making pasta from scratch.

We can’t promise every student is a chef, but we can promise they'll bring fresh perspective, cultural exchange, and meaningful connection into your home. And no, you don’t need kids of your own or ties to the school district to apply.

Hosts also receive the 2nd highest Homestay fee in the country to help cover expenses: $1300 per month!

What you do need:

A full-time home in Banff or Canmore, a private bedroom, and room in your heart for a teen aged 14–17 who speaks English and wants to experience life in the Rockies.

Host families are in short supply for the 2025–26 school year.

Be the reason a student calls Canada home.

Inquire now through the CRPS International Student Program.

_{*Presented by Canadian Rockies Public Schools.}

THE DIGEST

• 😍Country Music Star breaks the internet in Banff.  Ella Langley shared a cheeky hot springs bikini photo during a tour stop in Banff, and fans—plus a few celebs—lit up the comments. As one put it, “Big shoutout to the magma-heated groundwater” for making this viral moment possible.

• 🤍Names released in fatal Kootenay avalanche. The three men killed near Kaslo last week weren’t just experienced—they were leaders in the snow world. Guide Jason Remple, snowboarder Jeff Keenan, and The North Face’s Alex Pashley are being remembered as pillars of the mountain community who left a deep imprint far beyond the backcountry.

• 👴🏻Forbes tells Americans to retire in Canmore—how generous of them. In a new list of Canada’s best places to retire, Forbes highlights our very own Canmore as a top pick for U.S. expats chasing the good life. Great views, friendly locals, universal healthcare… yeah, we know. Thanks for the recommendation—just don’t all move here at once.

• 👋Banff is working to welcome everyone. A 10-year plan called Lead Tourism for Good is making Banff more accessible for travelers with disabilities, including neurodivergent visitors. From adaptive ski lessons to quiet museum spaces and barrier-free trails, the goal is clear: no one gets left out of the mountain magic.

• 🚁Two youth skiers were airlifted in the past week—one from Sunshine Village in critical condition on Sunday, and another from Nakiska in stable condition last Wednesday. Both incidents prompted STARS air ambulance responses and trips to Calgary hospitals. No updates have been released on either child’s current condition.

• ⚖️Three Sisters wins in court (again), but the fight’s far from over. Opponents of Canmore’s massive Three Sisters development lost another round in court, but they’re not backing down. Critics say relying on a 33-year-old environmental assessment is absurd—especially for a project that could double the town’s population and disrupt key wildlife corridors.

ANCIENT TRADE ROUTES RAN THROUGH THE BOW VALLEY

What’s Happening? Obsidian artifacts found across Alberta are revealing massive prehistoric trade routes that once spanned from Texas to Fort McMurray—long before Amazon Prime.

Volcanic Clues in a Volcano-Free Zone. Obsidian, a volcanic glass, doesn’t occur naturally in Alberta. So every shard unearthed here—from bison jumps to ancient campsites—was imported. Using X-ray tech, researchers traced most samples to Wyoming and Idaho, with some pieces travelling over 1,000 km.

Bison & Barter. Communal bison hunts in southern Alberta likely played a big role in the obsidian exchange, linking plains tribes in what’s now Alberta and the American Midwest. Meanwhile, the eastern slopes—including areas around the Bow Valley—yielded the highest number of obsidian finds, marking it as a major crossroads in these ancient trade routes.

Why It Matters? Each shard is a timestamp of prehistoric social connection. Researchers say it’s helping rewrite what we know about ancient kinship networks—and Alberta’s key role in them.

Next Steps. The Alberta Obsidian Project continues digging (literally and figuratively) into how these networks shaped Indigenous life centuries ago.

THINGS TO DO

Wednesday

• Games Night with CYAN.  Armadillo brings the games and CYAN brings the folks. Play board games with new friends and old to support a great cause. 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Canmore Brewing Company. Entry by Donation. 

• April Snowpack Discussion. Spring means big traverses, bigger lines, and a snowpack that’s changing by the day. Before you commit to that suffer-fest of a ski traverse, join the conversation about conditions, strategy, and survival.⁠ 7:00 PM. Ski Uphill Canmore. Free to Attend.

• Free Movie Night. Nowhere Special tells the story of a thirty-four-year-old window cleaner who, given only a few months to live, attempts to find a new, perfect family for his three-year-old son. 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Canmore Library. Free to Attend.

• Beers for Queers. Banff Pride hosts this event every first Wednesday of the month. All are welcome. This is a chill evening to grab a drink and a chat. 18+. 8:00 PM - 11:30 PM. Banff Ave Tap Room. Free to Attend.

Thursday

• Family Pickleball. Try pickleball with the whole family. Meet up after school, bring your siblings and play with your community. 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM. Canmore Rec Centre. Fees required. 

• Ladies’ Ski Day. The Nakiska Ladies’ Days are the perfect way to get out there, experience the mountains and embrace winter! 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Nakiska Ski Area. $208.95 includes rentals, lift tickets, and lessons / $124.95 for a lift ticket.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🗻Only A Few Weeks Left To Hike This Frozen Classic. The Green Monster hike is still in prime condition, but with spring creeping in, time’s ticking. You’ve probably done it—but can you name all seven waterfalls along the way? We added a trivia quiz to test your local cred. Read about the hike (and play) here. Thanks to our local writer, Janine, for putting this fun one together.

• 🏕Thinking of a Kananaskis Backcountry Trip This Summer? Reservations are already filling up—spots are now bookable through June 28, and by the end of this week, you’ll be into July territory. If you’ve got your eye on a prime campground, now’s the time to lock it in. Reserve here. 

• 💦Hunting For Hidden Waterfalls? Despite being landlocked, Alberta has over 500 waterfalls. Wild, we know. We’re narrowing down the top five local ones, but in the meantime, check out this pinned interactive map showing every single waterfall in the province.

• 🧺Vendor Applications Are Still Open—Mostly. Spring’s basically here, and the market season is coming fast. Canmore’s Mountain Made Market is still accepting vendors, and the weekly Canmore Mountain Market has a waitlist open. If you were eyeing Banff’s market, applications closed March 31—so you’ll have to try again next year.

• 📝Community Grant Applications Open Today. Canmore’s Community Grant program is now accepting applications until April 30. Grants of up to $5,000 are available for local projects that promote affordability, inclusion, belonging, or environmental stewardship. Learn more or apply here.

• 🚨FireSmart Peaks of Grassi Information Session. FireSmart Peaks will share their plans to make the Peaks in Canmore more resilient to wildfire and, importantly, how residents and owners can get involved. Register here.

• 🙋🏻‍♂️Volunteer Opportunity. The Buffalo Nations Museum will produce the 6th Annual Banff Iiniskim Cross-Cultural Powwow on Saturday, May 31, 2025, and is looking for volunteers to help the event run smoothly. 

• 🤝Canmore Young Adult Network April Line-Up. CYAN has an incredible lineup of events this month, including a hip-hop dance class, paint night, cold plunging, and more. 

• ⚕️Knit for a Cause. On April 10th, Join Hana Kujawa at Banff Public Library for a knitting workshop dedicated to making Twiddle Muffs—a soothing, sensory tool for people with Alzheimer's, dementia, and other conditions that make for restless hands. To learn more about twiddle muffs, read this story from AHS. 

SPOTLIGHT: THE NICK PROJECT

The Nick Project is a not-for-profit dedicated to providing opportunities for youth development and community connection. Their aim is to undertake projects and initiatives that empower local youth to pursue passion and interest in the area of music, skateboarding, snowboarding, and outdoor activities, with a focus on youth of lower socioeconomic status who may not otherwise have access to resources for such activities. 

CIVIC NEWS

• Phone Survey. For around two weeks starting today, April 2, you may receive a call on behalf of the Town of Canmore from Ipsos as part of the 2025 Citizen Perspectives Survey. The results are to understand the needs and perspectives of residents, learn how satisfied people are with municipal services, and learn more about the overall quality of life in our community.

• Proposed Area Structure Plan. Yesterday, Canmore Town Council was presented with the proposed area structure plan for downtown called Connect Downtown. The culmination of eighteen months of data collection and community engagement is now a guiding document to ensure the future of Canmore is reflective of the community’s value. Watch the recorded presentation here. 

LIVE MUSIC

• Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, 6:30 PM: Open Mic Night. Location: Wild Life Distillery, Canmore.. Free.

• Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, 10:00 PM: Michael Charles. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover. 

• Thursday, April 3rd, 2025, 7:00 PM: Amelie Patterson Trio. Location: Juniper Hotel, Banff. $31.97.

• Thursday, April 3rd, 2025 10:00 PM: Melissas Missteak & 3D DnB Present: PHIBES!! Location: Melissa’s MisSteak.  $14.02.

• Thursday, April 3rd, 2025, 10:00 PM: Peach Panic. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover. 

SPORTS

• Skiing. While Canada’s Reece Howden claimed his third career Crystal Globe in Sweden, Canmore’s own Kris Mahler wasn’t far behind—finishing fourth for his best result of the season. Mahler even gave Howden a run for gold in the final heat, pushing him right to the finish line.

• Playoff Hockey.  Canmore Eagles sold out game seven last night at the Canmore Rec Centre against the Drumheller Dragons.  Unfortunately, they lost 4 - 1.  Good effort and a good season, boys.

That’s all, folks!

We’ll see you back here on Friday, same time, same place!