Some Banff campsite bookings reach full capacity amid system slowdown calgaryherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from calgaryherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Article content
Salem said Parks Canada was expecting an incredible level of demand for campsite bookings this year. Nearly 35,000 reservations were made for Banff campsites on Monday, which was about 9,000 more than the opening day for reservations last year.
An equal figure is anticipated for backcountry bookings in the area, she said.
Salem said Parks Canada has been seeing an increase in demand for four years. Due to COVID-19 travel guidelines, even more Canadians are looking to go camping this summer instead of vacationing abroad.
âCamping has definitely become a big thing for people wanting to stay within Canada. Weâve seen it just get more and more popular,â Salem said.
Article content
A woman was taken to hospital after spending half an hour in the icy waters of Lake Minnewanka on Saturday, sparking warnings from Banff and Parks Canada officials on ice safety.
According to Banff Fire Department, the woman, thought to be in her 20s, broke through the ice at the popular glacial lake just outside the Banff townsite.
We apologize, but this video has failed to load.
Try refreshing your browser, or Banff, Parks Canada officials urge caution after Lake Minnewanka ice rescue Back to video
“She was probably in the water for, they were estimating, 30 minutes perhaps, either in the water or clinging to the broken ice,” said Banff Fire Department deputy chief Russ Geyer.