No Outdoor Ski Resorts Open For Skiing In Europe
Europe — Compared with North America, Europe offers more robust summer options for skiers and riders. Various ski resorts offer summer skiing, thanks to glaciers at high elevations. Some even stay open year-round, although that operational strategy is changing.
This summer, three ski resorts that are typically open for operations have had to cut back their schedule. Over the last week, two have paused operations entirely, resulting in no outdoor ski resorts currently operating on the continent.
Here’s a breakdown of why they closed, and what this means for Europe’s summer ski industry.
The Closures
On July 31st, Zermatt was the first to announce its closure. They cited persistent heatwaves, a lack of overnight cooling, repeated thunderstorms, and shifting glacier dynamics. It’s pretty jarring, considering that this is Europe’s highest ski resort. This closure remains standing, as it’s unclear when operations will resume.
The second closure announcement was Saas-Fee on August 10th. Closing for part of the spring and summer, Saas-Fee reopens for July through October for summer skiing. However, they had to pause operations earlier this month due to warm temperatures and glacier instability.
The third closure came on July 15th from the Stelvio Glacier. This summer-specific ski resort in Italy is typically open from May to November. Last week, it also announced that it had temporarily suspended operations due to warm temperatures. Like the other two, Stelvio hopes to reopen.
What was formerly a year-round ski resort, the Hintertux Glacier in Austria, gave up summer skiing this year as well. In recent years, they have also seen temporary closures as part of its year-round operations. They stopped operations in Mid-July. The timing seems wise now, as conditions have deteriorated at other high-elevation ski resorts.
Is Year-Round Skiing In Europe Done For?
The signs aren’t good. Glaciers in Europe continue to recede, which means they aren’t stable. Stability is what makes skiing and riding viable in summer on a glacier. Losing that makes you question whether it will be available during peak summer, like July and August.
This doesn’t mean that year-round skiing in Europe is done for. Many indoor ski resorts in Europe make summer skiing possible across the continent, even in low-elevation countries like the Netherlands and Belgium.
Ultimately, it’s hard not to feel negatively about the future of glaciers and outdoor summer skiing in Europe right now. If you do want to experience outdoor skiing in Europe, it’s best to plan your trip earlier in the summer or wait until September/October.
Image/Video Credits: Saas-Fee, PeakRankings, Rai
Leave a Reply