🐻 Poaching Probe Expands

Good morning, Bow Valley!

If you haven't been down Highway 40 since last week's flooding, we took a drive through Kananaskis yesterday to see how things are looking. Honestly, it's in better shape than we expected. Most of the highway looks pretty normal, although the creeks are still running muddy with plenty of deadfall, and crews are repairing the pedestrian bridge near Evan-Thomas. There was no construction happening while we were there, so traffic flowed in both directions, though Alberta 511 says lane reductions are possible. Bonus: the trails were noticeably quieter than a typical summer weekend.

- Fortune Whelan, Ben S., Madalyn Beach

SECOND GRIZZLY CARCASS EXPANDS ALBERTA POACHING INVESTIGATION

What’s Happening? Alberta wildlife officers now believe two young grizzly bears, not one, were illegally shot during the same incident near Sundre on June 13. The discovery of a second carcass nearly two weeks later has expanded the poaching investigation, with officers still searching for suspects more than three weeks after the killings.

What Investigators Know. Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Services says the second bear was discovered on June 25 near the original kill site along Highway 734, commonly known as Rig Street, about 90 kilometres northeast of the Bow Valley. For readers who spend time recreating in the Ghost Wilderness/Yaha Tinda, the area will likely be familiar.

"Based on the state of decomposition and the close proximity to the earlier kill site, fish and wildlife officers have determined that both bears were killed at the same time," Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services told Bow Valley Insider.

Both bears were male grizzlies estimated to be three to four years old and weighed roughly 200 to 300 pounds.

Investigators are still searching for a black 2003-2006 Chevrolet Crew Cab Duramax diesel truck with tinted windows and a loud exhaust. A witness reported hearing a gunshot around 8:30 PM  before seeing the truck speeding north along Rig Street.

Why It Matters. The deaths remove two animals from Alberta's threatened grizzly bear population, which is estimated at 691 bears on provincial lands. Grizzly hunting has been prohibited since 2006, except for Indigenous harvest, and the species has been listed as threatened since 2010.

While the shooting occurred just outside the Bow Valley, grizzly conservation remains a major regional issue. Earlier this year, delegates with the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) passed a resolution asking the province to consider reintroducing a regulated grizzly hunt. The MD of Bighorn, an RMA member that spans the Bow Corridor from Dead Man's Flats to the eastern foothills, said it supports science-based wildlife management and has not experienced the same level of human-bear conflicts reported elsewhere. 

The Investigation Continues. No charges have been laid, and officers continue searching for information that could identify the vehicle or those responsible. 

Read our full story

FOR ATHLETES. AND PEOPLE WHO JUST WANT THEIR BODY BACK.

Physiotherapy is not just for elite athletes chasing podiums. It is also for the people who want to hike without knee pain, lift groceries without shoulder aches, climb without constant tweaks, or wake up without feeling stiff and off.

Banff Sport Medicine works with high-performance athletes, weekend warriors, and people who simply want to move through life more comfortably. Their team treats climbing injuries, pelvic health concerns, pediatrics, concussions, and the physical changes that come with menopause and ageing. They also work with anyone coming back from injury who wants to rebuild strength, confidence, and trust in their body.

What sets them apart is how they connect rehab to real movement. Skiing. Climbing. Training. Long days on your feet. Not just exercises for the clinic, but progress that carries into everyday life.

If you are pushing performance, coming back from injury, or just tired of working around pain, this is physiotherapy that meets you where you are and helps you move forward.

Sometimes the goal is sport.

Sometimes the goal is simply feeling normal again.

Start with an initial assessment here.

_{*Presented by Banff Sport Medicine.}

THE DIGEST

• ✅ Cougar Creek Canyon Reopens To Climbers. One of the Bow Valley's most popular climbing areas is accessible again after last week's flooding. The Town of Canmore has reopened pedestrian access across the Cougar Creek flood retention structure, restoring the main route to more than 250 sport climbing routes in Cougar Creek Canyon. Climbers must use the Lady Macdonald Trail to reach the structure, as the former south-side access road remains closed after flood damage. 

• 📢 Bragg Creek Says It's Open For Business. While many Kananaskis trails and campgrounds along Highway 40 continue recovering from last week's flooding, Bragg Creek wants people to know it's a different story there. The community is encouraging visitors to come out, saying many West Bragg Creek trails remain open and local businesses are ready to welcome them back. "Now is a great time to rediscover Bragg Creek," said Taylor Clarkson of the Bragg Creek Chamber of Commerce. If you're looking for hiking ideas, check out our guide to the Little Elbow area. Just note that Powderface Trail remains closed.

• 🐟 Threatened Trout Returning To Banff Creeks. Parks Canada plans to reintroduce threatened bull trout into Fish Creek and Corral Creek for the first time, alongside restoring westslope cutthroat trout in several waterways around Lake Louise. The 10-year restoration effort aims to return native fish to waters where they once thrived after decades of decline caused by historic stocking of non-native species. Before that happens, invasive fish will be removed, and Parks Canada is now asking for public feedback on the plan through July 10. 

• 🔥 Canmore Expanding Wildfire Defences. Canmore is planning a new 15-kilometre fireguard stretching from behind the Peaks of Grassi to Dead Man's Flats to help slow future wildfires and give firefighters a safer place to defend the community. If provincial funding is approved, work could begin as early as August. Officials say the project will resemble the existing fuel reduction areas near the Canmore Nordic Centre rather than a clear-cut, while also improving habitat for wildlife like elk and grizzly bears. The Town is also exploring ways to notify nearby residents before smoke from future pile burns affects the area. 

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PARKS CANADA PROJECTS HOTTER FUTURE FOR BANFF NATIONAL PARK

What’s Happening? A new Parks Canada climate report projects Banff National Park could warm by three to six degrees Celsius by 2051-2080, a change that one local scientist says would reshape everything from glaciers and snowpack to wildlife habitat and the rivers that supply water to millions of people downstream.

Don't Focus On The Worst Case. Graham McDowell, director of science and knowledge at the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, told Bow Valley Insider the highest warming projections should be viewed as a "stress test," not the most likely outcome.

Even under the report's moderate emissions scenario, however, he said the projected warming remains "very considerable and very concerning."

What Could Change? Parks Canada's projections suggest Banff's climate could look very different by the second half of the century. Under the high-emissions scenario, the park would see:

• Average annual temperatures rise from -1.8°C to 2.3°C.

• The hottest day of the year increase from 23°C to nearly 29°C.

• Days above 25°C jump from about one per year to 16.

• Very cold days below -15°C fall from 67 to 37 annually.

• The frost-free season grow from 46 days to about 115 days.

The report also projects more annual precipitation overall, but drier summers interrupted by heavier downpours, increasing the risk of flooding while reducing snowpack that feeds rivers throughout Western Canada.

Why It Matters. McDowell said Banff's mountains function as "water towers," storing snow and ice that gradually supply rivers long after winter ends. As glaciers shrink and more precipitation falls as rain instead of snow, those water systems will change, affecting stream flows, water temperatures and cold-water species like native bull trout.

He also warned climate change won't happen in isolation. Wildlife will face the added challenge of adapting to landscapes already fragmented by highways, railways and recreation, making habitat connectivity increasingly important.

Preparing For Change. Rather than focusing only on reducing emissions, McDowell said there is already enough evidence to begin protecting wildlife corridors, restoring ecosystems and preparing communities for changes that are already underway.

Read our full story

THINGS TO DO

Monday

• Live Art on Canmore’s Main Street. Avens Gallery is hosting a live artist demo day featuring three artists: Cam Forrester, Jon Prom, and Greg Hargarten. Stop by the Main Street gallery to watch Canadian artists create in real time, ask questions, and see new work take shape before the paint is dry. 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Avens Gallery, Canmore. Free.

• Audition For Ride The Cyclone. Pine Tree Players in-person auditions for Ride the Cyclone kick off today, Monday July 6th.The fall musical follows six Canadian choir teens in limbo after a freak roller coaster accident, telling their stories for a chance to return to life. Rehearsals begin August 10, with performances in November. 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Canmore Miner’s Hall.*

• Introduction To Fastpacking. Curious about covering big distances with a tiny pack? Great Divide Trail record holder Andrew Cotterell is hosting an introduction to fastpacking, covering everything from route planning and gear to food, sleep systems, and how to keep your first trip enjoyable. 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. SkiUphill/RunUphill, Canmore. $11.30-$21.69. 

Tuesday

• Free Drop-In Line Dancing. Grab your boots, or whatever shoes can handle a grapevine, for a free drop-in line dancing night. This is a beginner-friendly lesson, so no experience is needed to join in. Two options available at 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Dusty Boot, Banff. Free.

COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

• 🌭 National Hot Dog Day Is Coming. July 15 is National Hot Dog Day, and The Rose & Crown in Banff is going all in with rooftop BBQ specials, $7 hot dogs, chili cheese and Reuben dogs, plus Happy Hour drinks. It's one of those completely unnecessary food holidays that somehow everyone can get behind. If that sounds like your kind of summer afternoon, mark your calendar now. We'll remind you again as it gets closer.*

• 📕 Our Editor's Book Is Free Tomorrow. Fun fact: our editor, Fortune, is also a romance author. Tomorrow only, you can download her novel One Night With You for free as part of a BookBub promotion. If your summer reading list could use a little small-town romance, emotional chaos, and a story that begins with one unexpected night, this is a good chance to pick it up. Grab it here.

• 🌯 Pita Pit And Second Cup Coming To Canmore. The former McDonald's and Petro-Canada site on Bow Valley Trail is being rebuilt into a larger highway service centre that will bring Pita Pit and Second Cup to Canmore. McDonald's and Petro-Canada are expected to return when the project is completed in 2027. In the meantime, if you've noticed longer lineups at nearby Tim Hortons since McDonald's closed, you're definitely not the only one. Here’s what we know.

• 🙋‍♀️ Reuse Hub Looking For Volunteers. You've probably seen us mention Canmore's new Reuse Hub, the project that keeps usable materials out of the landfill by giving them a second life in the community. Now the Biosphere Institute is looking for a few more volunteers to help run it. The commitment is about two hours a week, and volunteers get first access to free reclaimed materials while helping reduce waste in the Bow Valley. Interested? Details here.*

• 🚧 Two Popular Kananaskis Trails Close. If Rawson Lake is on your hiking list this week, you'll need to make other plans. A grizzly bear with cubs has closed the Rawson Lake and Sarrail Ridge area, which, let's be honest, has become a summer tradition. Meanwhile, Pocaterra Cirque is now closed through the fall while crews rebuild sections of the trail and restore fragile alpine habitat. As always, check trail advisories before heading out. 

CIVIC NEWS

• Canmore Keeps Green Building Incentive. Developers in parts of downtown Canmore will still be able to build at higher densities if they meet the town's energy-efficiency standards after council voted 4-3 to keep the incentive. The decision came as Canmore adopted new downtown development rules that will guide growth over the next 25 years. Council also scaled back several proposed rezonings after hearing concerns from residents, preserving lower-density zoning in parts of Railway Court, Spring Creek, Riverview Place, and other neighbourhoods. 

LIVE MUSIC

• Monday, July 6, 10:00 PM: Brent Lee. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, July 7, 9:00 PM: Banff Punk Night: Volume 18. Location: Pump and Tap, Banff. No Cover.

• Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 PM: Confusionaires. Location: Rose and Crown, Banff. No Cover.

SPORTS

• Canmore Runner Finishes 5th At One Of North America's Toughest Races. Canmore's Emma Cook-Clarke placed fifth out of 534 women at Alaska's legendary Mount Marathon Race, a brutal 5-kilometre course that climbs almost 1000 metres before plunging back down loose shale, mud, and scree on slopes as steep as 60 degrees. The race has been running since 1915 after a local bet over whether the mountain could be climbed and descended in under an hour. And yes, Emma finished under that mark, crossing the line in 52:44. We haven't caught up with Emma yet, but judging by the gash on her leg in the finish-line photo, the mountain definitely put up a fight. 

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.