The Stelvio Glacier ski resort in the Italian Alps has suspended summer skiing indefinitely after an abnormal heatwave prevented night-time ice recovery.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that ski slopes on the glacier were closed on August 15. Sifas, the company that manages the cable car infrastructure at Stelvio, stated that daytime temperatures had risen so high that overnight conditions were no longer cool enough for the glacier to regenerate.
Sifas explained that weather conditions made it impossible to guarantee standard quality and safety levels required for summer skiing. Cable cars at the resort, located in northern Italy, remain open to carry foot hikers up the mountain while staff monitor conditions. The company thanked visitors for their understanding and cooperation, promising to issue prompt updates if slope operations can resume.
Rising Temperatures Across Italian Glaciers
Unusually warm weather has effectively ended outdoor summer skiing across all Italian alpine resorts. Reports from the Arpa regional meteorological service station near the Forni Glacier recorded temperatures of 17 degrees Celsius at an elevation above 2,000 meters, while the Marinelli Pass at approximately 3,000 meters reached 9 degrees Celsius.
The closure follows earlier shutdowns at other major ski areas, including Ponte di Legno - Tonale and the Matterhorn. On July 31, Swiss cable car operator Zermatt Bergbahnen suspended skiing on the Theodul Glacier at an altitude of nearly 3,000 meters. Lifts running from Breuil-Cervinia on the Italian side remained open only for hikers traveling to Plateau Rosa.
Mont Blanc Closures and Rescue Dispute
High summer temperatures have created hazardous conditions across the Mont Blanc massif, Western Europe's highest mountain range. Ascent routes from the Italian side have been temporarily suspended, while French authorities closed the Tête Rousse and Goûter mountain refuges to protect climbers from falling ice and rock.
The dangerous conditions triggered a sharp public debate in France ahead of Ferragosto, the traditional Italian summer holiday on August 15. A group of 32 tourists was forced to charter a private helicopter at their own expense to descend the mountain after the mayor of Saint-Gervais refused to authorize a public rescue mission.
The mayor declined emergency assistance because the mountaineers had climbed despite explicit official bans imposed over severe landslide and rockfall risks. His stance sparked widespread criticism in France, where debate over mountain safety and rescue responsibilities remains active.
Wider European Impact and Spanish Earthquake
The loss of summer skiing is not limited to Italy. Unprecedented heat has halted glacier operations across Switzerland, France, Austria, and Norway, leaving indoor ski halls as the only remaining venue for summer skiers in Europe.
In a separate environmental event in southern Europe, a magnitude 5 earthquake struck southern Spain near the city of Granada shortly after 1:00 AM on August 15. The underground tremors were centered in the Alhendín metropolitan district, damaging homes and parked vehicles.
Emergency workers in Andalusia, where regional authorities declared a state of emergency, assisted residents in evacuating damaged buildings. The seismic event affected several communities surrounding Granada at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains.
