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How does a rockslide happen? 'The mountain that moves' was Canada's deadliest

National Post

26 minutes ago

Science
National Post

How does a rockslide happen? 'The mountain that moves' was Canada's deadliest

A large rockslide in Banff National Park left up to 15 hikers injured Thursday, leading to one potential death and raising a series of questions about how and why the disaster occurred. Article content With officials still working on rescue and treatment of survivors, it will be some time until an investigation concludes why the rockslide happened. But a look at published research and archive news articles on rockslides provides some general information about the dangerous occurrences. Article content Article content Article content Article content A rockslide happens when a large chunk of rock detaches itself from the mountain where it sits and begins sliding down the slope. Why does this occur? Well, natural erosion or seismic activity can cause a rockslide, as can heavy rainfalls. Human activity such as excavation, construction or mining can also lead to a rockslide. Article content As one chunk of rock begins its downward slide, it can quickly gain momentum and trigger massive amounts of other rock to also begin sliding, leading to devastating effects. notes a landslide or rockslide can occur 'when gravitational and other types of shear stresses within a slope exceed the shear strength (resistance to shearing) of the materials that form the slope.' Article content What's the difference between a landslide and a rockslide? Article content A landslide occurs when sediment or loose dirt disengages from a hill or mountain and begins moving downwards. A rockslide, however, means solid rocks are also being swept down a slope during a similar type of event. Rockslides are also incredibly fast-moving, as they tend to move down a flat surface of a mountain. Article content The most horrific rockslide in Canadian history occurred in 1903 when a huge slab of Turtle Mountain crashed down onto the town of Frank and Crowsnest Pass (about 250 kilometres southwest of Calgary). At least 72 known residents were killed in the natural disaster, as were an undetermined number of others visiting or passing through the area. Some historians thus put the death toll closer to 90. Article content An estimated 80 to 110 million tonnes of rock were involved in the deadly event that came to be known as Frank Slide. The rockslide only lasted about a minute and a half. Article content Newspaper clippings and archive stories from the rockslide describe the horrific results that led to the deaths of men, women and children. As those clippings note, information about the state of some of the victims was disturbing, but shed light on how powerful the rockslide was: 'The leg and hip of a man was found lying fifty yards from the Imperial Hotel.'

At least 1 hiker killed & 3 injured in horror rock slide at Banff National Park in Canada

The Sun

31 minutes ago

The Sun

At least 1 hiker killed & 3 injured in horror rock slide at Banff National Park in Canada

FALLING rocks struck people on a hiking trail in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies, killing one and injuring three others. Rescuers had rushed to the park in the afternoon after receiving reports that a group of hikers had been struck by the rockslide. 2 2 The Royal Canadian Mounted Police and Parks Canada later confirmed one died and three were injured near Bow Glacier Falls. .

Rescuers respond as rock slide hits group of hikers in Banff National Park

Yahoo

12 hours ago

Climate
Yahoo

Rescuers respond as rock slide hits group of hikers in Banff National Park

LAKE LOUISE — Rescue crews, paramedics and police scrambled to a remote region of Banff National Park on Thursday, after getting word that a group of hikers were hit by a rock slide and it was possible some were killed. At least two were airlifted to hospital. 'The initial report indicated there were multiple hikers and there may be serious injuries and/or fatalities,' RCMP Cpl. Gina Slaney said in a news release. Parks Canada said in a statement it responded to a report of a serious rockfall near Bow Glacier Falls in the Alberta park. The site is north of Lake Louise on the Icefields Parkway, about 200 kilometres northwest of Calgary. STARS air ambulance spokeswoman Kate Langille said in an email two units were deployed about 2 p.m., and two patients were taken to the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary. She did not have information on their conditions. Niclas Brundell of Canmore saw the rock slide and ran to escape. Brundell, who said he was unable to immediately speak with The Canadian Press, told CBC that he and his wife were hiking in the area just after lunch, when they heard rumbles and small rocks falling, prompting them to start leaving. There were other hikers in the area, he said. 'People kept taking selfies and stuff, and both of us were taking it as a warning sign to at least keep further away from the mountainsides," he told CBC. "All of a sudden, we heard this much louder noise, and I turned around and I see, basically, a whole shelf of a mountain come loose, like something I've never seen before. "(It) almost looked like a slab avalanche but made of rock.' He said there were at least 20 people in the area under the rockfall and, as it crashed down, it sent up a massive rolling dust cloud. 'The scariest part was that whole group underneath the waterfall just kind of disappeared into that cloud formation,' he said. 'My wife thought the whole mountainside was coming loose." They weren't sure they could out run the cloud, he said. 'I was just yelling at (my wife) to like, 'Go, go, go! We need to run!' And luckily, we got out.' On social media, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she was deeply saddened. "We are thinking of all those involved and wishing for their safety as we await further details," she said. "On behalf of Alberta's government, I also want to offer my most sincere gratitude to the emergency crews, including search and rescue teams and STARS air ambulance for responding quickly." Federal Emergency Management Minister Eleanor Olszewski, also in a social media post, said: "My heart is with everyone affected by the rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls in Banff." "Grateful to Parks Canada, STARS air ambulance and all first responders supporting the emergency response." The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is a nine-kilometre route open year-round, running along the edges of Bow Lake. It's considered a moderate challenge for hikers, and day-trippers include families. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025. — With files from Aaron Sousa in Edmonton Matthew Scace, The Canadian Press