Alps Glaciers Closing Fast as 5,000m Freezing Point Triggers Rapid Melt

• Last Days for Japan’s Gassan Glacier as Snow Depth Hits Just 50cm
• Timberline Holds Strong—Only U.S. Resort Still Spinning Lifts for July Skiing
• France Down to One Ski Area as Summer Heatwave Shuts Slopes
• Hintertux Boasts Deepest Snowpack and Most Runs Open in Northern Hemisphere

NORTHERN HEMISPHERE INTRO

We are into July, and to add to the impact of the usual summer heat, parts of North America have seen new record warm days above 100°F this week, while the freezing point in Europe’s Alps has risen above the top of Mont Blanc and as high as 5,200m for the first time in June. In other words, it's hot, and the remaining snow is thawing fast at all levels. Several European glaciers are expected to end their 2025 summer ski seasons on Sunday, which means we’ll be down to single figures for the first time this year in terms of the number of centres still open across Asia, Europe, and North America (the Northern Hemisphere). There are over 100 indoor snow centres to choose from, though. In Asia, Japan’s Gassan Glacier is also reported still open, but with its base down to 50cm and still thawing fast, and just a few hundred metres of snow cover left at the top of the area, it’s also looking like this coming weekend will be its last for 2025.

ALPS REPORT

It has been hot in the Alps over the past week, with temperatures at 3,000m reaching +10°C in the afternoons, and the freezing point moving up to 4,000–5,000m on some days. So, in other words, thawing of glacial snow cover is now round-the-clock most days, and the skiable period is from first light to mid-morning. Fortunately, the days are long. It’s been mostly dry and sunny; what showers there have been have mostly fallen as rain at all levels, and there have been strong winds impacting lift operations on some days.

France has the most ski areas open in the Northern Hemisphere at present, but two of its current three options are set to close on Sunday. Les 2 Alpes (0/90cm / 0/36”) will end what’s now the country’s longest season, having opened more than seven months ago at the start of December and remained open every day since. Val d’Isère (0/160cm / 0/64”), meanwhile, ended its regular season in early May, re-opened for a month of summer skiing on its Pissaillas glacier in early June, and is now closing again until winter 25–26. Its neighbour Tignes (0/160cm / 0/64”), which reopened for its own now short summer ski season the weekend before last, will be the only French area open again from Monday.

Also open is Hintertux (0/190cm / 0/76”) in Austria, the only choice currently available there and posting the deepest snowpack and most terrain open (28km/17.5 miles of runs) of all summer ski areas. Italy’s Passo Stelvio also remains open, as does the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (0/120cm / 0/48”) area—Europe’s highest at up to 3,899m—above Zermatt and also currently accessible from Cervinia on the Italian side. Although the French areas closing means we'll only have four areas open from Monday, that number will bounce back to five at the end of next week with Saas-Fee due to open for the start of its summer ski season, which morphs seamlessly into its 25–26 season in the autumn.

ALPS FORECAST

Temperatures are dipping a little from the recent highs, and the freezing point is expected to remain between about 3,000 and 4,000m over the coming week. Plenty of sunshine, but weak fronts moving through are bringing precipitation that’s likely to be rain to high levels, with occasional snow on the highest slopes overnight.

SCANDINAVIA REPORT

It’s just Norway’s Galdhøpiggen (30/80cm / 12/32”) still operating in Scandinavia, although Folgefonn is believed to be open to ski tourers and private cat-skiing groups—it’s just not running its lift. Stryn is believed to have ended its 2025 season. Temperatures have been up as high as +10°C in the afternoons with rain reported; however, overnight lows have still dropped below zero on some days for freeze/thaw mornings. Base depth numbers have dropped a little, though.

SCANDINAVIA FORECAST

Unsettled weather with lows overnight down as far as -4°C, but daytime highs reaching +10°C. More showers are forecast from the end of the week and through the weekend, but these look set to be sleet and rain due to the temperatures, though occasional snow is also possible.

USA REPORT

It’s the 4th of July—US Independence Day—at the end of the week, but so far there’s no sign of any reopenings for events we’ve seen in past years like Freedom Fest at The Palisades, although some late notifications are still possible! Otherwise, it’s just the Palmer Snowfield above Timberline Resort (0/80cm / 0/32") on Mt. Hood in Oregon that is open, as well as the hike-to terrain park at Copper Mountain, which has public access Fridays to Sundays. Backcountry skiers are still managing to ski at a few spots like Tuckerman’s, even with daytime heat reaching record highs above +100°F on the East Coast last week.

USA FORECAST

Sunny, warm weather continuing in Oregon. Currently, lows are in the high 30s (°F), and highs in the high 60s, but it’s expected to get significantly warmer through the weekend and into next week.