High waters, hikers’ injuries force Parks Canada to close parts of Auyuittuq

Here’s how the Windy Lake suspension bridge in Auyuittuq National Park looked in 2007. In 2008, it was knocked out by raging waters and erosion and was not rebuilt. Similar conditions now in the park now mean this river crossing, and others, are impassable. (FILE PHOTO)

Higher-than-average temperatures, heavy rains and streams of meltwater have wreaked havoc again in Auyuittuq National Park.

Parks Canada announced Aug. 1 that it was closing parts of the park’s Akshayuk Pass to hikers.

The pass closure affects the west side of Weasel River from Crater Lake creek to the Glacier Lake shelter and the east side of Weasel River from Overlord to Glacier Lake shelter, said an Aug. 1 information bulletin.

“Unusually high temperatures and heavy rainfall have made key river crossings impassable and extremely treacherous,” it said.

Garry Enns, Parks Canada’s external relations manager for Nunavut, said the closure is expected to last for at least a week.

The closure means about 20 hikers in the park were relocated by helicopter. Others will have to rejig their treks; some may end their treks early and return to Pangnirtung.

Prior to this closure, during the past week Enns said Parks Canada had evacuated three groups of hikers, including two injured hikers.

Other groups of hikers reported being unable to complete river crossings, and, as a result, they were delayed up to 76 hours.

Enns said, before they enter the park, hikers are told not to attempt crossing a river if the water rises above their knees.

Some hikers got into trouble when they attempted to cross near Windy Lake where Parks Canada decided not to rebuild a suspension bridge, which collapsed in 2008, due to high water and erosion.

Today’s similar conditions, which would have knocked out any new bridge, shows the decision not to rebuild was sound, Enns said.

Auyuittuq National Park staff remain on 24-hour stand-by and are monitoring the risks presented by the rivers, he said.

This isn’t the first time this summer that Parks Canada has had to deal with the impact of unusually high water in its Nunavut parks: in July, a group of hikers in Quttinirpaaq National Park on Ellesmere Island were also relocated after they encountered similar problems while attempting a river crossing.