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Latest in Zermatt
Zermatt Suspends Summer Skiing on the Theodul Glacier With Immediate Effect
Zermatt has suspended public summer skiing on the Theodul Glacier, the first time it's shut down since 2022. Persistent heat, warm nights that won't let the snowpack refreeze, and repeated thunderstorms are behind the call, according to Zermatt Bergbahnen. Selected Swiss-Ski teams can keep training on a limited basis, and the squad still flies to Chile as planned on August 27. With Hintertux already on its seasonal break, only Stelvio and Saas-Fee remain open for summer skiing in the Alps.
Zermatt Replaces Its Oldest Chairlift: New Patrullarve Six-Seater Ready for 2026-27 Season
Zermatt's Matterhorn Ski Paradise is replacing the Patrullarve chairlift this summer - the oldest lift in the ski area, having operated since 1989. The replacement is a detachable six-seater built on Leitner's Ropera technology, targeting completion before the 2026-27 season. Construction is underway now in the Patrullarve-Sunnegga-Blauherd area.
European Alps Snow Forecast: 20-30cm Expected This Week
A modest cold front will deliver snow to high-altitude European resorts from Monday through Thursday, with the western and southern Alps favoured. Val Thorens and Cervinia could see up to 30cm, while many Austrian resorts miss out entirely. Snow levels fluctuate between 1,800-2,400 metres.
Zermatt Replaces Gifthittli Six-Seater with Eight-Seater Chairlift
Zermatt has opened a new eight-seater chairlift to replace the 21-year-old Gifthittli six-seater. The CHF 25 million upgrade brings incremental capacity improvements and modern features to a critical mid-mountain connector, though the investment raises questions about priorities in an increasingly competitive Swiss market.
Ikon Pass Expands to Valle d'Aosta: Analysing the Change & New Resorts
Ikon Pass adds Valle d'Aosta for 2025-26, granting access to five Italian ski areas. We examine the implications for passholders and the broader European ski market.
Cervinia's €200M Lift Overhaul: Tripling Capacity to Zermatt
Cervino S.p.A. unveils 'Cervino - The One' project, a €200 million upgrade set to transform the Italian-Swiss connection at Matterhorn Ski Paradise. The plan promises faster access and increased capacity, but questions remain about implementation and impact.
Top 13 Priciest European Ski Property Markets Revealed
UBS study uncovers soaring prices in Alpine ski home markets, with Swiss resorts leading in cost and French destinations boasting the largest markets.
Five Skiers Found Dead Near Zermatt After Avalanche
In a tragic incident near Zermatt, Switzerland, the bodies of five skiers were discovered in avalanche debris. The group went missing during an ascent of the Rimpfischhorn, prompting a search operation.
Swiss Alps Hit by Massive 89-Inch Snowfall in 48 Hours
Switzerland's Simplon region experiences record-breaking snowfall, with 89 inches falling in just two days at Bortelsee station, setting new national records for short-term snow accumulation.
Major Snowstorm Closes Ski Resorts and Transport Routes in Swiss Alps
A powerful late-season snowstorm has shut down ski areas and major transport routes in southern Switzerland and northern Italy, raising avalanche risks to maximum levels and isolating mountain communities.
Skiing in Europe Is Amazing, But Which Pass Takes You Further
Planning a ski trip to the Alps? This guide breaks down the European resort access offered by major ski passes, helping you choose the best option for your Alpine adventure.
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More from the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.