Featured Image: Line Skis, Sämi Ortlieb | Location: Snowpark Zermatt
Destructive heat has enveloped the Northern Hemisphere this summer, from wildfires to heat waves. Consequences are becoming visible in Western Europe, as the area smashed temperature records. Amidst the warmth, Saas-Fee and Zermatt have suspended summer skiing operations for the time being.
The two Swiss ski resorts have long been known as summer oases, but receding glaciers and mounting heat have led both to stop welcoming skiers up to the top of the Alps. Zermatt is famously home to the highest lift-served skiing in all of Europe, and they aim to operate year-round. But for the first time since 2022, they won't be able to. The resort has said only Swiss Ski Federation teams will be able to utilize the glacier for training until conditions improve.
Of course, ski racers looking to train aren't the only ones hurting with the recent news. Snowpark Zermatt is a quintessential part of the European freeski scene. Thousands have flocked here to savor the summer turns over the years. The first mention of the Matterhorn makes my mind swing back to the beloved "Glacier Days" series from LINE. What could be better than shredding the glacier with Will Wesson, Sämi Ortlieb, Rob Huel and company?
Zermatt is assessing conditions daily, with a lack of nighttime cooling being one of the biggest factors having led to the Theodul Glacier's deteriorating condition. Reports suggest the ski resort will assess an August 17 reopening, though there's no guarantee lifts will be spinning.
For Saas-Fee, the situation appears slightly more dire. No confirmation on a potential reopening has been announced, and it appears likely the team there will have to simply wait for fall and winter conditions to bring cold temperatures back to the Alps.
These issues aren't lost on locals, with popular Swiss news outlet Swiss Info pointing out in a recent article that each year, ski training timeslots shrink, dollars become tighter and the costs to maintain the glaciers only grow. The publication quoted University of Lausanne geomorphologist Christophe Lambiel, as he spoke on the longevity of summer skiing in the region, stating, “Summers like this have catastrophic effects on glaciers, so probably in Zermatt, we will still be able to practice summer skiing in the coming years, but in the long term, it is clear that summer skiing is doomed."
Closures like these are far from a small problem. They are microcauses of the real environmental, social and economic fallout that comes with a changing climate. In a country like Switzerland, glaciers like those found at Saas-Fee and Zermatt are indescribably vital. Not only do they serve as necessary fresh water sources for the valleys below and even neighboring countries, but they generate tourism dollars and have long served as societal staples.
Glaciers in Switzerland lost 24% of their volume between 2015 and 2025, according to data from the group Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS).
