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CTV News
7 days ago
- General
- CTV News
‘I just held her hand': Hikers reflect on loss, heroism after fatal rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls
A photo taken of Jutta Hinrichs and her friend Cindy Macarthur shortly before a rockfall that took place at Bow Glacier Falls last week, killing Hinrichs and a 33-year-old man, Hamza Benhilal Nearly a week after a deadly rockslide near Bow Glacier Falls, survivors are speaking out — recounting moments of terror, extraordinary courage, and the deep grief of losing fellow hikers. Two people — Jutta Hinrichs, 70 and Hamza Benhilal, 33 — were killed in the slide on the afternoon of June 20 while hiking on the trail in Banff National Park. Thirteen others were also injured and evacuated via helicopter by search and rescue teams. Cindy Macarthur, a member of the Slow and Steady Hikers of Calgary, was eating her lunch alongside several others, just steps away from the nearby waterfall. That's when she heard a loud cracking sound and the slope above gave way without warning. 'It was so loud, like a huge branch being broken,' she recalled. 'We looked up and then all of a sudden the rocks came flying at us in pieces—like Lego—starting to fall.' Macarthur says hundreds of boulders – some of them the size of trucks – were flying right past her, one of them just narrowly missing her shoulder. 'I thought I can't do this anymore, I can't outrun these rocks. So, I tripped and fell on the ground and quickly went off to the left of the trail. I think that is what maybe saved me from getting bulldozed over.' Helping the wounded When the dust settled, she and others quickly sprang into action. Total strangers, some injured themselves, began helping the wounded — checking pulses, performing CPR, using satellite phones to reach emergency crews, and offering comfort to those who were gravely hurt. 'That's when I saw Jutta lying there, and she was unresponsive,' Macarthur recalled, her voice heavy with emotion. 'She wasn't moving, she wasn't breathing. I thought, 'I have to try to help her.' So, I just went over there and told her help was on its way. I said 'please hang in there. I'm going to be here,' and I just held her hand. I mean, if I in my final moments I would want someone to be there.' 'You're not closing your eyes!' In the chaotic moments after the rockslide, Cindy Macarthur and the hiking group rallied to help those injured, including Khaled El Gamel, who was seriously hurt. El Gamel was one of two hikers airlifted from the site in Banff National Park while another was taken by ground ambulance. Khaled El Gamel was standing near Bow Glacier Falls with his friend when the rock wall crumbled. He's recovering in hospital. His friend did not survive. Khaled El Gamel was standing near Bow Glacier Falls with his friend when the rock wall crumbled. He's recovering in hospital. His friend did not survive. The 28-year-old told CTV News earlier this week that he froze in the moment, but it was the sound of his best friend Hamza Benhilal yelling to run which saved his life. Sadly, Benhilal didn't make it and was killed in the slide. Macarthur recounted the moment in which El Gamel was found in serious pain on the trail. 'He was laying there, and I could see he was hurting bad,' Macarthur said. 'I was telling him, 'You're not closing your eyes! You're not closing your eyes!'' Her urgent voice cut through the panic as she tried to keep El Gamel conscious. 'I was holding his hand, squeezing it, just trying to keep him with us,' she explained. 'It was really important to stay connected.' Others in the group joined in, providing support while waiting for rescue. 'We were doing everything we could — talking to him, keeping him awake, giving him water and everyone came together. Even though we were all scared, we kept going.' A Go Fund Me campaign has since been set up for Benhilal to provide financial relief for his family, to cover funeral costs and repatriate him back to his home country of Morrocco. Tight-knit hiking family For Tracy Aiello, co-organizer of the Slow and Steady Hikers group and a close friend of Hinrich's, the outpouring of support and the quick response from fellow hikers were a testament to the strength and heart of Alberta's outdoor community. 'Our hikers are prepared. We check weather, gear, and experience. We turn people away if they aren't properly equipped,' Aiello explained. 'Many of us carry satellite devices like a Garmin, and we always submit a trip plan with Search and Rescue. We're like a tight-knit family, we share water, we share snacks, we share blankets, we share layers. That's what we do. 'That's what everyone did on last Thursday,' Aiello added, 'and I thank God that there was so many wonderful people out there that were so prepared.' Despite all the preparation however, nothing could have predicted what happened at Bow Glacier Falls. 'Jutta was a beautiful soul,' Aiello said through tears. Jutta Hinrichs of Calgary Jutta Hinrichs was killed in a rock slide at Banff National Park's Bow Glacier on June 19, 2025. (Supplied) 'She was supposed to be on my hike this Saturday. We celebrated birthdays together, I remember laughing with her like little kids on the playground at Bow Valley Campground on one of those days — she wore a tiara and went down the slide. Her smile will never leave me." Hinrichs had recently returned from a bucket-list trip to South America, where she hiked the world famous Machu Pichu among wildlife and high trails in Peru. It was a dream fulfilled. 'She was so happy telling us about it on the hike,' Macarthur recalled. 'I'm at peace knowing she achieved one of her life's missions.' Remembering Jutta A memorial walk is planned for Thursday, July 3, at Calgary's Weaselhead Flats, where friends, fellow hikers, and community members will honour Riedel's life. 'There will be a book to sign, photos to share,' Aiello said. 'And we'll walk together in nature — just like Jutta would've wanted.' 'When you spend six to eight hours on a trail with someone, you see them in their truest form. That's how I knew Jutta — joyful, caring, and full of life.' The free hike will start at 6:30 pm to facilitate members after work transportation. 'We hope this brings heart healing to some and/or an opportunity to walk and talk it out to others,' reads the event's description on the website. 'Therefore we welcome you to walk quietly in camaraderie with others or visit and chat. Your needs will be respected either way.' Bow Glacier Falls Trail remains closed Parks Canada confirmed the tragic rockfall was the result of a natural geotechnical process. 'Geotechnical assessments indicate that this tragic rockfall was the result of a natural process common in mountain areas,' Parks Canada said in a statement. 'Events of this size are extremely rare and, sadly, this event appears to have been neither preventable nor predictable.' While Banff National Park, Bow Lake, and the route to the Alpine Club of Canada's Bow Hut remain open, the Bow Glacier Falls trail is closed until further notice. A map of the closure area can be found here: Parks Canada Closure Map A helicopter is shown close to the scene of a rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal A helicopter is shown close to the scene of a rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal 'Safety is our top priority,' Parks Canada said. 'We will take time to consider all options before making decisions related to the reopening of this backcountry area.' Parks Canada encourages visitors to take precautions when hiking in areas prone to rockfall: Plan for short rests behind rock bluffs or faces, and longer rests near ridgelines. Cross gullies quickly and avoid lingering in them. Wear a helmet, which can be rented from local outfitters. Until further notice, no new permits or reservations will be issued for the Bow Glacier Falls area.
CBC
23-06-2025
- Climate
- CBC
'He was like my big brother': Friend identifies second victim of Bow Glacier Falls rockfall
Social Sharing A survivor of a rockfall last week in Banff National Park is remembering his 33-year-old roommate and friend who didn't make it out alive from under the rubble. Khaled Elgamal, 28, of Surrey, B.C., says Hamza Benhilal was one of two people who died after a slab of mountain gave way last Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls, about 200 kilometres northwest of Calgary. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Elgamal said he was visiting Banff with Benhilal, an engineer, when they heard the loud sound of rocks dislodging. They began running to safety but did not get out of the way in time. He said he was crushed by the chunks of rock and is recovering in a Calgary hospital from a fractured pelvis and shoulder. Benhilal did not survive. "He was very kind, generous and very supportive," Elgamal said in an interview Monday. "He was like my big brother. He always had a smile on his face. He was very open to the world because he had travelled so much." Benhilal is one of two hikers who died in the rockfall. The other person was identified last week as 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary. Parks Canada has closed the area around the falls and has said nothing could have prevented or predicted the rockfall. The Bow Glacier Falls hiking trail is a nine-kilometre route running along the edges of Bow Lake. It is considered a moderate challenge for hikers and is used by tourists and day-trippers, including families.
CBC
23-06-2025
- CBC
Friend identifies second victim of Bow Glacier Falls rockfall in Banff National Park
A survivor of a rockfall last week in Banff National Park is remembering his 33-year-old friend Hamza Benhilal, who didn't make it out alive from under the rubble. Khaled Elgamal, 28, of Surrey, B.C., says his roommate and friend Benhilal was one of two people who died after a slab of mountain gave way last Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls. The first person has been identified as 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary. Elgamal says he was visiting Banff with Benhilal, an engineer, when they heard the loud sound of rocks dislodging and started running. Elgamal says he was crushed by the chunks of rock and is recovering in a Calgary hospital from a fractured pelvis and shoulder. Parks Canada has closed the area around the falls, and says tests show the rockfall was the result of geological forces common in mountain areas. More information will be provided when available.
CTV News
23-06-2025
- CTV News
Second Banff rockslide victim identified as B.C. man
Tourists walk around Bow Lake on Friday, June 20, 2025, near Bow Glacier Falls, seen in background, where a rock slide, light grey area on cliff face, killed two hikers and injured three more Thursday, north of Lake Louise, Alta., in Banff National Park. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh RCMP have identified the second victim of a deadly rockslide in Banff National Park last week. Authorities say the victim was a 33-year-old man who lived in Surrey, B.C. No further information is being shared about him. On June 19, a group of hikers were near the Bow Glacier falls on the Bow Lake Trail when a large piece of rock broke off from the side of the cliff. The man was one of two hikers who died at the scene, with the other being 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired clinical education coordinator who lived in Calgary. Three other hikers were injured and taken to hospital while 13 others escaped injury. Expand Autoplay 1 of 21 Deadly rock slide in Banff National Park Emergency crews were called to the scene of the rock slide at Bow Lake trail after one of the hikers activated their transponder to alert authorities about the incident on June 19, 2025. A rock slide, centre, is shown near Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal A search and rescue helicopter races to the scene of the rock slide at the Bow Lake trail in Banff National Park. The rock slide could be seen from a lookout point along the Icefield Parkway on June 19, 2025. The rock slide occurred at the Bow Lake trail, about two hours west of Calgary and 37 kilometres north of Lake Louise, Alta. A sign is shown close to the scene of a rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal One person died and three were hurt, but rescue crews are still looking for any sign of life among the fallen rocks. Parks Canada personnel, RCMP, firefighters and paramedics were dispatched to the scene of the rock slide at the Bow Lake trail in Banff National Park on June 19, 2025. A video, taken by one of the hikers, show a massive plume of dust and a wall of rocks charging down the mountainside. Experts told CTV News the hikers would have had no idea a slide was about to occur. A Calgary hiking group was among those caught in the deadly rock slide on June 19, 2025. In an online post, the group's administrator says one of its members was killed and another was injured. Multiple others were treated at the scene. A helicopter is shown close to the scene of a rock slide near Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta. in Banff National Park on Thursday, June 19, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Larry MacDougal It took first responders about 50 minutes to reach the remote trail where the rock slide occurred on June 19, 2025. A University of Calgary expert says rock slides are common in regions like the Rockies, but it's rare for anyone to be caught in one. Rescue crews blocked off a section of the Icefields Parkway for a staging area to help the wounded hikers caught in the deadly rock slide. A line of ambulances can be seen waiting to assist the injured hikers caught in a rock slide at the Bow Glacier trail in Banff National Park on June 19, 2025. Parks Canada says it will continue search and rescue operations Friday morning and Bow Lake trail will remain closed. A no fly zone has also been put in place. A STARS helicopter arrives in Calgary carrying a victim of the rock slide to the Foothills Medical Centre on June 19, 2025. One person died and three others taken to hospital after a rockslide near the Bow Lake Glacier, a popular hiking spot in Banff National Park, on June 19, 2025. (Supplied) A rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park has hit a number of hikers, causing at least one death, CTV has learned. A rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls in Banff National Park has hit a number of hikers, causing at least one death, CTV has learned. RCMP are sending condolences to the victim's family and friends.
CTV News
23-06-2025
- CTV News
RCMP identify second victim of Banff rockfall as man, 33, from Surrey, B.C.
Hikers ignore a closed sign that blocks the trail to Bow Glacier Falls north of Lake Louise, Alta., in Banff National Park on Friday, June 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh The second person killed in a rockfall last week in Banff National Park has been identified as a 33-year-old man from Surrey, B.C. RCMP did not provide a name and say no more information will be provided. Two people were killed and three more injured when a slab of mountain gave way last Thursday, raining rock down on hikers at Bow Glacier Falls. The three injured were later listed in stable condition. The second deceased person has previously been identified as 70-year-old Jutta Hinrichs, a retired university professor from Calgary. Parks Canada has closed the area around the falls, and say tests show the rock slide was the result of geological forces common in mountain areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 23, 2025.
