Zermatt Reopens for Glacier Skiing After Three-Month Heatwave Shutdown (1)

Skiers and snowboarders return to the Theodul glacier today, 14 October, when Zermatt reopens its high-altitude slopes. The Swiss resort’s glacier area normally runs all year, but it has been closed since the end of July, when a summer heatwave left conditions unsafe. Fresh snow and cooler temperatures now allow a limited restart.

Back on the Theodul glacier

Zermatt/Cervinia aims to stay open all year, but it was forced to close on 31 July and has stayed shut ever since. The suspension followed exceptionally high temperatures and a lack of snowfall that left the pistes unsuitable for safe skiing. It also affected Cervinia, on the Italian side, which sells access to the same cross-border summer product.

The reopening is deliberately modest. From today the Plateau Rosa 1 and 2 ski lifts are available to guests, and the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II between Klein Matterhorn and Testa Grigia also resumes. Preparations are under way to open Plateau Rosa 3, which, subject to conditions, would add a beginners’ area and a small selection of snowpark features. The lift company stressed that the extent of the skiing on offer will depend on snow, weather and operating conditions. The restart is a continuation of summer skiing rather than a full opening of the resort, which is slated for 1 November.

The operator, Zermatt Bergbahnen, credited the reopening to preparation and maintenance work by its staff. Live lift and slope information is published at matterhornparadise.ch/timetable.

A rare interruption for the Alps’ highest ski area

Until this summer Zermatt was a 365-day-a-year ski resort. Its glacier ski area reaches nearly 4,000 metres, the highest in the Alps, and is normally one of the most snow-sure places on Earth. The area has been interrupted before. Glacier skiing was also halted during the exceptionally hot summer of 2022.

Zermatt now joins a small group of glacier areas offering snow. PlanetSKI counts eight already open: Hintertux, Pitztal, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn in Austria, Saas-Fee in Switzerland, and Val Senales and Passo Stelvio in Italy. Zermatt makes nine. The forecast offers little help for the days ahead. The weather this week is expected to be more settled with rising temperatures, and no significant snow is forecast.

Closing thoughts

For early-season skiers, Zermatt’s return is welcome news. It brings the Matterhorn’s high slopes back into play just weeks before the main winter opening. The three-month closure also shows how fragile even the Alps’ most reliable snow can be after a hot summer. Hotter summers and thin winter snowpacks leave less snow to protect glacier ice. Anyone planning a trip should check the live lift status before travelling, as conditions and terrain may change at short notice.