💥 Illegal Fireworks Set Off

Good morning, Bow Valley!

We still have a few spots left in our 2-Day Scrambling Skills Clinic. If you've ever reached a steep section of a hike and wondered whether to keep going, this clinic is for you. It's designed specifically for Bow Valley hikers who want to build confidence in scrambling terrain. More details are below, and as always, just hit reply if you have any questions.

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Madalyn Beach

ILLEGAL FIREWORKS SET OFF IN BANFF AMID EXTREME WILDFIRE DANGER

What's Happening? Parks Canada is reminding residents and visitors that fireworks are illegal throughout Banff National Park after receiving reports they were set off in Banff early on July 12.

The Timing Couldn't Be Worse. The reported incident happened near Antelope Lane and Coyote Lane (map here) following a stretch of hot, dry weather that pushed wildfire danger in Banff National Park to extreme.

Parks Canada said it received the report but was unable to identify those involved because they left before wardens arrived. The agency did not say whether the individuals were residents or visitors.

Why Fireworks Are Banned. Jason Darrah, the Town of Banff's director of communications, told Bow Valley Insider that fireworks pose one of the greatest wildfire risks in the national park.

"Fireworks create a very high risk of igniting fire, which is the main hazard in Banff National Park," he said.

Under federal regulations, fireworks are classified as explosives and are prohibited throughout Banff National Park unless specifically authorized by the field unit superintendent through a Restricted Activity Permit.

Violations can result in fines of up to $25,000, regardless of whether a wildfire is actually started.

It's Not Just About Fire. Officials say fireworks also create safety risks beyond wildfire.

"Fireworks are also extremely dangerous," Darrah said, noting they regularly cause serious injuries in places where personal fireworks are permitted.

They can also disturb wildlife and other visitors. National park regulations prohibit excessive noise and activities that unreasonably interfere with wildlife or the natural environment, while Banff's Community Standards Bylaw allows for fines of $250 for a first noise offence and $500 for a second offence within a year.

Even The Town Doesn't Use Them Anymore. Banff no longer includes fireworks or pyrotechnic displays as part of its own special events, such as Canada Day and New Year's, because of wildfire concerns and their impacts on wildlife.

Read our full story

ONE PEST PROBLEM CAN TURN INTO 50 GOOGLE REVIEWS REAL FAST

For restaurants, hotels, Airbnb operators, and condo boards, pest control is one of those things nobody notices… until suddenly everybody does.

A few ants in a short-term rental. Wasps around a patio. Rodents near a dumpster enclosure. One guest sees it, posts about it, and now it’s attached to your business online forever.

That’s why more Bow Valley businesses are working with Innovative Pest Solutions for proactive commercial pest control.

Their team works with restaurants, hotels, condo boards, and vacation properties across the Bow Valley, focusing on prevention, discreet service, and long-term protection plans tailored to the property. Services can include monitoring, rodent control, wildlife prevention, wasp removal, and sealing entry points before they become bigger problems.

Because in hospitality, the best pest control is usually the kind your guests never notice.

Get a free estimate (they started local but also serve Calgary and Cochrane).

_{*Presented by Innovative Pest Solutions.}

THE DIGEST

• ✅ Banff's Rimrock Reopens After $115M Makeover. After a nine-month redevelopment, one of Banff's landmark hotels has officially reopened with a new ultra-luxury identity. Standard rooms start at about $1,425 a night, with premium suites topping $8,600, and the hotel told us it's already fully booked for one-night stays through the end of August. Not everything is open yet, though, with its new bathhouse and outdoor wellness facilities still under construction until September. Some longtime guests have also expressed disappointment that iconic Rimrock features, such as the stone fireplace and Eden restaurant, are gone. Read more about what has changed.

• 🍞 Canmore’s Uprising Bakery Ends Bread Production. Eight months after transforming its downtown café into The Corner Pub, Uprising has now closed its production bakery, bringing an end to the artisan bread business that supplied sourdough to Banff IGA, Canmore Safeway, Valbella and other local partners. The owners say the demanding nature of running the bakery led them to focus on a single location for their family's long-term stability. The Corner Pub remains open. The closure comes just four months after Le Fournil Bakery ended its 14-year run, meaning Canmore has lost two of its best-known artisan bakeries this year. 

• 🚧 Highway 742 Closure Enters Eighth Week. We've had a lot of locals asking when the road over Canmore Hill will reopen, so last week we followed up with the province for an update. A spokesperson for Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors told us it's still working to hire a contractor to remove debris and unstable rock above the roadway, and no reopening date has been set. The closure continues to block the direct route to popular recreation areas, forcing Bow Valley residents to take a roughly two-hour detour through Kananaskis Country. Here’s everything we know.

• 🐻 Grizzly Bites Hiker In Jasper. Parks Canada says berry season is drawing both black bears and grizzlies closer to trails, roads and campgrounds as they feed before winter. The reminder follows a recent defensive grizzly encounter that left a hiker with minor bite wounds after two hikers surprised a sow with cubs at close range. Officials say the hikers likely avoided more serious injuries because they had bear spray readily accessible and knew how to use it. The Opal Hills hiking area remains closed while Parks Canada monitors the grizzly family.

The local paper has newspaper stands around Canmore and Banff

They’ve been there forever. You’ve seen them.

When a new storefront opens, maybe they add another stand. That’s how they grow.

Our distribution is different. It’s email and social media.

20,000+ locals get Bow Valley Insider in their inbox. And we add another 1,000 every month.

That’s not more “stands.” That’s more people. And we’re not limited by physical distribution.

One video on social media can reach 50,000… 100,000+ people in a matter of days.

No new stands required.

➡️ Want that kind of reach? Let’s talk

THE REPORT THAT CHANGED HOW BOW GLACIER FALLS WILL BE HIKED FOREVER

What's Happening? On Friday, we told you Parks Canada had reopened the Bow Glacier Falls trail after last summer's deadly rockslide, with a new trail endpoint that keeps hikers farther from the waterfall. Over the weekend, we obtained the 50-page engineering report behind that decision, revealing that the mountain hasn't become safer. Instead, engineers believe they now have a much better understanding of where future rockfalls are most likely to occur and how hikers can reduce their exposure.

The Mountain Is Still Changing. One of the report's clearest conclusions is that it is "reasonable to expect further rockfalls" from the same cliff that collapsed in June 2025, as well as elsewhere along the headwall.

Engineers point to overhanging rock, groundwater seeping through cracks and the ongoing effects of glacier retreat, which has left the mountainside adjusting to a new post-glacial environment with more freeze-thaw cycles, weathering and erosion.

Why The Trail Ends Earlier. The report also explains that the new trail endpoint wasn't chosen arbitrarily.

Using decades of rockfall research, engineers estimated how far falling debris is most likely to travel. They concluded that hikers who stay below what's known as the "rockfall shadow angle" can "significantly reduce the chance of being impacted by rockfall debris."

That's why visitors are no longer encouraged to scramble onto the rocky benches beneath the falls. Those same benches were where many of the injured and deceased were located during last year's tragedy.

Small Rockfalls Matter. One of the report's most interesting findings is that major rockslides often don't happen without warning.

Engineers say rockfalls involving tens or even hundreds of cubic metres remain possible at any time, but are "likely to be preceded by an increase in frequency of smaller rockfalls."

That's exactly what witnesses reported on June 19, 2025, describing several smaller rockfalls in the minutes before the mountainside gave way.

A Lesson Beyond Bow Glacier Falls. The report's biggest takeaway may have little to do with this particular hike. Rather than trying to eliminate hazards, engineers recommend helping hikers make better decisions through signage, designated viewpoints and public education. 

Read the full report breakdown

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Canmore Karaoke Night. Whether you're ready to belt out your go-to anthem or just cheer on brave strangers, Karaoke Mondays at The Drake are always a good time. Head over for a free night of questionable high notes, unexpected talent, and plenty of laughs. No experience required, just a willingness to grab the mic. 10:00 PM. The Drake, Canmore. No Cover.*

Tuesday

• Turn Your Big Idea into a Little Book. Ever wanted to make your own mini magazine? This free zine night is the perfect place to start. Join local artist Gini Dickinson to fold, cut, collage, and create a one-of-a-kind booklet that's entirely your own. No artistic experience is needed; all supplies are provided, and everyone is welcome. Registration is required. 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. 214 Banff Avenue. Free, but donations will be accepted.

• Cheap Tuesday Movie Night In Banff. Christopher Nolan brings Homer's legendary epic to the big screen with The Odyssey, following Odysseus's perilous journey home after the Trojan War as he faces the Cyclops, Sirens, Calypso and other mythic dangers. The all-star cast includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and Charlize Theron. 6:45 PM. Lux Cinema, Banff. $8.99. 

THE SKILLS BEHIND MORE CHALLENGING HIKES

There's a point on many Bow Valley hikes where the trail disappears, the terrain gets steeper, and you start wondering whether to keep going or turn around. For many hikers, it's not fitness that holds them back. It's confidence. That's exactly why we created our 2-Day Scrambling Skills Clinic (Aug. 8-9). 

Over two days with Leviathan Mountain Guides, you'll learn the practical skills that help experienced hikers move more confidently in scrambling terrain. The first day focuses on learning climbing fundamentals on rock. The second day puts those skills to work on a real scrambling objective in Kananaskis. We're keeping this clinic intentionally small, so everyone gets plenty of coaching. 

More details here (hit reply with any questions) 

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🚈 What's Next For Passenger Rail in Banff? If you’re curious about where Alberta's passenger rail plans stand, the province is hosting a free virtual session on Thursday, July 23 at 7 PM to share highlights from its newly completed Passenger Rail Master Plan and answer questions. For Bow Valley residents, the discussion could offer insight into the proposed Calgary-Banff rail connection and what comes next. Registration is required. If you can't make it, we'll be there and will recap the key takeaways in a future edition of BVI.

• 💡 Explore Art Through A New Lens. Through artwork by local 2SLGBTQIA+ artists, scientists, knowledge holders and community members, the Queer(y)ing Ecologies exhibition explores how nature, identity and belonging intersect. It runs Aug. 12 to Sept. 7 at artsPlace, with a free opening reception on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 7 PM. Everyone is welcome.*

• 🥂 Celebrate National Spritz Day in Banff.  National Spritz Day falls on the August long weekend, and Fat Ox is celebrating with a patio party on Saturday, Aug. 1. Expect mountain views, a live DJ, a satellite outdoor bar, and $9 Aperol, Hugo and Limoncello Spritzes, plus spritz towers and other drink specials. 3-8 PM. No tickets required. Details here.*

• 🥾 Amazing Race Canada Heads To Jasper. Grab the snacks and see if you can spot familiar mountain scenery when The Amazing Race Canada races into Jasper on Tuesday, July 21, at 9 PM on CTV (streaming the next day on Crave). This isn’t the show's first Rocky Mountain stop. Previous seasons have sent racers through Lake Louise and the Bow Valley, and this week's episode includes challenges tied to Jasper's recovery following the 2024 wildfires.

• 🚧 Seasonal Wildlife Closure Near Hillsdale Split. The area between Ranger Creek and the west end of the Hillsdale split, near Johnston Canyon, is closed to all foot and recreational traffic until August 31 to avoid disturbing wildlife. Parks Canada has not named the species involved, but the area has historically been protected for wolves during denning and pup-rearing season. The Bow Valley Parkway remains open to vehicles. Entering the closed area could result in fines of up to $25,000. 

CIVIC NEWS

• Bighorn Council Approves Flood Funding and Parking Plans. MD of Bighorn council approved several projects at its July 14 meeting, including $150,000 for 2026 Steep Creek flood recovery and maintenance, a pilot residential septic-hauling program for Exshaw, and early planning for a new parking loop near Dead Man’s Flats.

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, July 20, 6:00 PM: Side Hustle & Cave Arcade. Location: Shaw Amphitheatre, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, July 21, 10:00 PM: Jesse Peters. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Olympian Brings Elite Rugby Camp To Canmore. Canmore-born Olympic silver medallist Krissy Scurfield is bringing a youth rugby camp to Canmore this week while continuing her comeback from two serious injuries. Participants will train alongside Scurfield and other Canadian national team players while learning rugby skills, nutrition, recovery and mental performance. She's also signed with the new Ultimate Sevens Championship and remains focused on representing Canada at the 2028 Olympics. 

That’s all, folks!

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

Heads Up: We sometimes feature paid promotion from local businesses and organizations we trust. When you see a little asterisk (*), that means it’s a sponsored post. We only work with partners we think our readers will actually care about.