‘I just held her hand’: Hikers reflect on loss, heroism after fatal rockslide at Bow Glacier Falls

Nearly a week after a devastating rockslide in Banff National Park, hikers are sharing harrowing stories of survival—and moments of extraordinary compassion.

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 an ymore, 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.

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.

“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 Hinrichs’ 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 Meetup.com 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

“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.