Kananaskis drying up after recent floods but some trails remain closed

There’s sunshine after the storm in Kananaskis, Alta., as the landscape recovers from recent flooding.

The storm system that caused most of the damage peaked on the 28th of June. It resulted in evacuations, basement flooding and a bridge collapse.

A local group, the Friends of Kananaskis Country, have been monitoring the condition of trails in the area.

The recent sunny weather has dried out the better-irrigated trails, but the group’s executive director, Trevor Julian, says others aren’t quite there yet.

“Trails in areas that are prone to wetness, you know, bottom of valleys or trails that erode, there’s certainly more damage to them because so much water in a 24-hour period when those rains came in” said Julian.

A number of backcountry campground, trails and day use areas are still closed. A full update of trail re-openings can be found on the Alberta Parks advisory page.

Boundary Ranch in Kananaskis had dug trenches to protect itself against the rainfall and laid land bridges so its staff could move around safely.

Almost two weeks after the storm, the ranch is back in perfect condition.

Its owner, Rick Guinn, says it comes down to being prepared.

“A lot of it is preventable. I tried to get some guys to do stuff up at the bridge, before it washed out, as I did in 2013,” Guinn said. “They just can’t move fast enough.”

Guinn also says water mitigation is needed for infrastructure.

“Everybody used Traco’s now, they can get around,” Guinn said. “And down here at the bridge there from the 2013 flood for about 10 miles up the creek, there’s all this deadfall from the last flood that’s all dried out, waiting to float down the river. As soon as you get high water, it all comes down and plugs up the bridge.”

Boundary Ranch made it through the recent flooding in one piece. Road closures cost them two days of business, but they are back and hitting the trails that have already dried up.

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