Hi Everyone! Here's What’s Happening This Week!

It's not often a wildlife crime story ends this cleanly. A Drayton Valley outfitter guided at least eleven illegal cougar hunts for clients from Texas, and investigators seized five Canada lynx skins. This week the case closed: eight guilty pleas, $135,500 in fines, and hunting bans totalling 18.5 years.

If Ha Ling Peak is on this month's list, the access problem hasn't gone away. Highway 40 cleared its rockslide in late June, but the slide blocking Highway 742 near Mount Rundle still has no repair date, which keeps the short route to the trailhead closed. Plan the long way round, or save it for later.

For something that doesn't depend on road repairs, the Sulphur Mountain gondola reaches the summit boardwalk in about eight minutes, with eight mountain ranges visible from the observation decks and the Bow Valley below. July and August time slots keep selling out, so booking ahead beats showing up and hoping.

On accommodation, Peaks Hotel & Suites keeps coming up in traveller reviews as one of Banff's better-located options - close enough to skip the parking hassle, yet guests often mention how quiet it feels.

Wildlife Safety | Bear | Elk | Wolf | Cougar

👉 Follow us on YouTube | Facebook | Instagram for more updates!
👉 Find out what is happening this week and beyond on our Events Page.
👉 Sign Up Here to receive "What's On Banff" five days a week - it's free!

The ride itself is only 8 minutes. Book your time slot in advance, especially in July and August, since popular slots do sell out. Once you're up, the boardwalk and observation decks give you sweeping views of eight mountain ranges, with the Bow Valley laid out below.

Lock in your time slot before it sells out

⚖️ Poachers Convicted Over Cougars, Lynx. A Drayton Valley outfitter guided at least eleven illegal cougar hunts for clients from Texas; investigators also seized five Canada lynx skins. Eight pleaded guilty, fined $135,500 with 18.5 years of hunting bans.

🥾 K-Country Reopens, Jasper Closes for Bears. This week's trail closures report shows flood-hit Kananaskis trails like Galatea Creek and Buller Pass reopening, while a bear with cubs shuts Jasper's Opal Hills Loop indefinitely.

🚧 Highway 40 Reopens. Highway 742 Doesn't. Kananaskis' Smith-Dorrien corridor has been split since June: Highway 40 cleared its rockslide in late June, but the Mount Rundle slide blocking Ha Ling access remains unscheduled for repair.

🎶 Folk Fest Prices Rise July 25. Advance pricing for the Canmore Folk Music Festival ends that day - weekend passes jump to $215, day passes to $105. The festival runs August 1-3.

🎭 Canmore Theatre Festival Wraps Sunday. Pine Tree Players closes its outdoor season this weekend, with Anne of Green Gables and Little Women running on alternating days through Sunday - two very different takes on 19th-century girlhood, back to back.

🌦️ Highs in the 20s are the theme all week. Wednesday brings a 26°C high with a chance of afternoon showers and possible thunder. Thursday clears out nicely for a sunny 29°C. Friday cools slightly to 28°C with another round of showers likely. Full Forecast Here

For a low-stress way to spend a day outdoors, an e-bike ride along the Bow Valley Parkway pairs well with a walk into Johnston Canyon. Coast past Vermilion Lakes at your own pace, then let your legs take over on the trail to the Lower Falls before riding the shuttle back to town.

🌉 Yoho's Waterfalls, Turquoise Lakes & the Golden Skybridge - Glacial silt turns Emerald Lake an impossible turquoise, Takakkaw Falls thunders down 373 metres, and Canada's highest suspension bridge awaits near Golden. See the full tour.

⛏️ Canmore History Tour: Cowboys and Coal Miners - Wander Canmore's flat trails while a local guide unpacks the mining town beneath the boutiques, from frontier cowboys to the pits that shut in 1979 - join the walk for a different side of the valley.

🚤 Lake Minnewanka Cruise to Banff's Sunken Ghost Town - Cruise toward Devil's Gap on Banff's largest lake, where a flooded 1940s village hides beneath calm water - hop aboard for an easy, sedentary look at the park's glacial past.

🅿️ Is parking available at Lake Louise? Parking exists but fills very early in summer and costs $42 per day. Arriving before sunrise gives you the best chance of a space.

🚶 Can you walk to Canmore's easy trails from the town centre without a car? Several of the best easy hikes in Canmore start right in or near the town centre, so a car isn't always necessary - ideal if you're based locally or on foot.

🐾 Is Boo the grizzly bear still alive? Yes - Boo is now in his twenties, and continues to thrive at Kicking Horse as one of the longest-studied bears in Canada.

Travellers consistently rank this hotel among Banff's best. It's central enough to skip the downtown parking hassles, yet guests report a surprisingly peaceful atmosphere for such a central location.

Check it out for yourself here

Yesterday’s Question: Which powerful waterfall is shown in this photo?

✅Answer: 3) Athabasca Falls - 50% Correct

📅 Featured events for today are listed below. Visit our website for a complete list.

FULL EVENT CALENDAR | BANFF & LAKE LOUISE | CANMORE | JASPER NP
BANFF HAPPY HOURS | CANMORE HAPPY HOURS

10:00 | Banff Farmers Market | Central Park | Banff

14:00 | National Hot Dog Day | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

17:00 | Chess Night | Jasper Municipal Library | Jasper

18:00 | Sunset Festival @ Banff Gondola | Banff Gondola | Banff

19:00 | Music Bingo | Melissa's Missteak | Banff

19:00 | Open Mic Night | The Local | Canmore

19:00 | Conversation Series | The Banff Centre | Banff

19:00 | Little Women | Centennial Park | Canmore

19:30 | The Cheezie Musical | Carter-Ryan Theatre | Canmore

19:30 | Bobby Dove & Trundled | artsPlace Canmore | Canmore

19:30 | Jasper Historical Tour | Jasper Town | Jasper

20:30 | Trivia Night | Tavern 1883 | Canmore

22:00 | The Blue Mules | Rose and Crown Banff | Banff

📅 👉 Submit Here (3 days before the event date) for a FREE LISTING

✉️ Not on our mailing list? 👉 Sign Up Here to receive “What’s On Banff” IT’S FREE!

💬 Want to get in touch? For feedback, local stories, or questions, reply to this email.

👉 Follow us on YouTube | Facebook | Instagram for more updates!

💡 This email contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.