Highway 742 Still Closed Seven Weeks After Rockslide Near Canmore

More than seven weeks after a rockslide shut down a key recreation route southwest of Canmore, Highway 742 remains closed as the province works to hire a contractor to remove debris and unstable rock that could still fall onto the roadway.

The Spray Lakes Road has been closed in both directions on the Canmore Hill between the Grassi Lakes turnoff and the top of the hill near the dam since rocks and debris came down onto the roadway June 1.

“Highway 742 remains closed due to rockslides caused by recent heavy rain in the region,” a spokesperson for Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors said in a written statement. “An engineering consultant has inspected the site to determine the scope of work, and we are working to secure a contractor to safely remove debris and any other rocks at risk of falling.”

The ministry said an opening date will depend on when that work can be scheduled and completed.

“An opening date will be determined once a schedule is set and the work is completed,” the spokesperson said.

More than seven weeks after the slide, debris remains to be removed, while Alberta Parks has warned that unsupported rock above the roadway could result in another slide. Its latest closure notice says assessments remain ongoing and the timeline for repairs and reopening is uncertain.

The extended closure has cut off the direct route from Canmore into one of the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country’s busiest recreation corridors during the peak summer season.

The closure affects access to Grassi Lakes Day Use Area and the trailheads for Ha Ling Peak, Miner’s Peak, East End of Rundle and Goat Creek, according to Alberta Parks.

Travel through the closed section is prohibited for all road users, including motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. A formal closure order also includes the Reclaimer Trail and warns that entering the closed area could lead to prosecution under provincial parks legislation.

Spray Lakes West Campground remains open, but Alberta Parks says it can only be accessed by travelling south on Highway 40 and then north on the unpaved portion of Highway 742 through Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.

The alternate route requires visitors travelling from Canmore to make a two-hour detour through Kananaskis Country to reach recreation sites near the Canmore end of the corridor, including Ha Ling Peak and East End of Rundle, instead of taking the direct route over Canmore Hill.

Although the province has attributed the rockslide to heavy rain in the region. The June 1 slide, however, occurred weeks before the intense late-June rainfall and flooding that damaged roads, trails and campgrounds elsewhere in Kananaskis Country.

That later weather caused separate damage elsewhere on Highway 742 and temporarily restricted access in the broader Spray Lakes area. Access from the Highway 40 side was subsequently restored, allowing visitors to reach the open portion of the corridor from the south.

The province has not provided details about what the engineering inspection found, the extent of the unstable rock above the highway, or how long the required work could take once a contractor is secured.

No reopening date has been set as of publication.