Banff, as a town, was created to serve tourists visiting the national park. So, what happens when a global pandemic restricts the 50 per cent of its visitors coming from outside Canada?

Nakoda means "friend" or "ally" in the native language of three Indigenous tribes in the area: Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley.

Tour companies and hotels in destinations popular with Chinese tourists — like Alberta's mountain parks and the Northwest Territories — are starting to see cancellations.

Parks Canada scientists, who have been monitoring songbird populations since 2007, found most are doing well in Banff, Jasper, Waterton Lakes, Yoho and Kootenay national parks.

Parks Canada has rejected a proposed gondola to take skiers and hikers from Banff townsite to the summit at the Mount Norquay ski resort.

Anywhere from 10 to 20 centimetres of snow is expected in the mountains and around Edmonton, while the temperature across the entire province is set to nosedive this week.

The avalanche risk in several Alberta mountain parks is considered high, or very dangerous, according to a warning from Parks Canada issued Friday.

Skating on Lake Louise in Banff National Park is a Canadian postcard experience easily accessible from the visitor parking lot of the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

Parks Canada says the avalanche danger rating forecast is considerable to moderate for Banff, Yoho and Kootenay national parks through Saturday.

Anyone heading to the mountains this weekend should prepare for possibly poor highway conditions after snowfall warnings were issued for both Banff and Jasper national parks.