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Rockslide in Banff National Park closes popular climbing area

Click to play video: 'Parks Canada investigates rockslide in Banff National Park'
Parks Canada investigates rockslide in Banff National Park
A popular hiking area and a renowned golf course are off limits as Parks Canada staff investigate the cause of a rockfall in Banff National Park. Elissa Carpenter has more.

A popular climbing area in Banff National Park has been closed after a rockslide occurred on Tuesday.

It happened around 11 a.m. in the Rundle Rock area, which is located just east of the Banff Springs Golf Course.

In a statement to media, Parks Canada said “a large amount of rock came down, leaving a rockslide path with a large amount of debris, including a significant number of boulders” at the base of Mount Rundle.

A photo of the area, provided by Parks Canada, shows a large number of boulders that appear to have come tumbling down in the popular climbing area. Source: Parks Canada

Fortunately there were no known injuries and Parks Canada said “all known parties have been accounted for.”

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The area from the Spray River bridge through to the golf course loop has been closed to the public, including the climbing areas of Rundle Rock, Rundlehorn, MacLab Slab and Goldrush.

Parks Canada staff could be seen stopping traffic on Tuesday near the Spray River Bridge to prevent anyone from entering the area near where the rockslide happened. Global News

However, Parks Canada said on Wednesday morning that the Banff Springs Golf Course is open.

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The cause of the rockfall isn’t yet known, but Parks Canada said the areas affected will remain closed until a geotechnical assessment can be completed.

A map on the Parks Canada website showing the areas that were affected by the rockslide and closure. Source: Parks Canada

The public is also being asked to avoid the area around the Bow Falls and Golf Course Road area to allow emergency personnel to safely carry out their work.

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STARS Air Ambulance has also confirmed to Global News that one of its helicopters was dispatched to the area following the rockslide, but stood down when the crew was informed they were not needed.

Click to play video: 'Banff rock slide survivor tells her story'
Banff rock slide survivor tells her story

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