Eight hikers who entered a closed area of Jasper National Park in September have been issued with a court appearance notice after two members of their party required mountain rescue services.
According to a media statement from Parks Canada, the hikers required helicopter evacuation from the site, but not because they were injured.
“The hikers claimed to be tired and unable to complete the rest of their hike."
The rescue mission diverted one of two helicopters from wildfire response for over three hours, according to reporting by Jasper Local.
“Parks Canada Visitor Safety specialists’ role is treating critical injuries and transporting injured people to advanced medical care. Should a more serious emergency be simultaneously unfolding, a distress call without merit may limit the ability to respond to what could be a life threatening incident," continues the statement.
The incident occurred on September 10 when the party attempted to climb Pyramid Mountain, a nearly 10,000-foot peak in the Canadian National Park, which has been largely closed since massive wildfires in July.
According to Parks Canada, while access to the Pyramid Lake area was permitted on that date, access trails to Pyramid Mountain were closed to all traffic and travel while crews responded to wildfire activity and ongoing hazards.
Jasper National Park reports that there has been "consistent" communication and on-site signage notifying visitors of the closures.
As of September 27, most of the park remains closed to visitors and violators may be charged under the Canada National Parks Act, which carries a maximum penalty of $25,000.
Hiking trail closures
When you've spent hours researching your route and packing your daypack, woken up at dawn and pulled on your hiking boots, there's nothing quite like showing up at the trailhead to discover the trail you planned to hike is closed.
Hiking trails can close for a variety of reasons – trail maintenance, wildlife patterns and safety concerns among the top reasons – unfortunately, you’re not likely to know the trail is closed ahead of time, unless you’ve been thorough with your research.
It is, however, important that you observe trail closures whether that's for your own safety, to help protect local ecosystems or even just to set a good example to newer hikers. Learn more in our article on trail closures.
