TL;DR
Kaunertal Glacier is calling its 2025/26 season on May 17 - earlier than planned - despite picking up around 7 cm of fresh snow this week with more forecast before the weekend. Snow depths remain solid at altitude, but warm spells, operating costs, and low capacity utilisation have tipped the decision. The planned KTE snowpark event is also off.
Kaunertal Glacier is shutting its 2025/26 season on May 17 - even as snow continues to fall and the snowpack at altitude remains well above average.
The Tyrolean glacier resort made the call despite conditions that, on paper, look anything but finished. Around 7 cm of fresh snow fell on the glacier on Tuesday, and forecast models are pointing to a further 20 cm possible across Thursday and Friday. Snow depths at the Karlesjoch are sitting at around 140 cm, with approximately 110 cm at the glacier car park and roughly 80 cm at the Ochsenalm lift.
By those numbers alone, the mountain is far from empty. But depth isn't the whole picture at this time of year.
Unfortunately, due to the continuously warm temperatures and the low amounts of snow, we have to end the winter season at the Kaunertaler Glacier earlier than planned.
Why the Season Is Ending Now
According to the resort, a combination of warm spells through spring and limited snowfall earlier in the season has brought things to a close ahead of schedule. For glacier ski areas, the late-season calculus involves more than just snow cover - operating costs, snow quality as temperatures rise, and capacity utilisation all factor into the decision. When the numbers stop stacking up, the lifts stop turning, regardless of what the weather does next.
Until and including Sunday 17 May, Kaunertal will operate three lifts only - the Falginjochbahn, the Nörderjochlift, and the Fernerlift - running daily from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.
KTE Event Cancelled
The premature closure also takes out the planned Kaunertal Test Events (KTE) for this year. The final snowpark weekend was held on Sunday 10 May, which turned out to be the last of the season. For those who had the KTE on the calendar, it won't be rescheduled.
The Broader Pattern
There's a familiar rhythm to how spring plays out in the Alps, and Kaunertal's situation this year is a reasonable illustration of it. Warm conditions push resorts to wind down earlier than hoped, and then - almost on cue - the snow returns. It doesn't change the operational decision, but it does make for a frustrating finish for anyone who timed a trip to catch the final weeks.
Whether next week's forecast snow materialises or not, the season at Kaunertal is done.
About the author
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
