Summer skiing at the foot of the Matterhorn has been suspended indefinitely after a severe heatwave pushed freezing levels near 5,000 metres and temperatures above 15°C on the glacier. Zermatt Bergbahnen, the Swiss company operating lifts on the Theodul Glacier at 3,000 metres, said persistent high temperatures, a lack of overnight cooling, frequent thunderstorms and deteriorating snow conditions made safe skiing impossible. The closure, effective 1 August, comes weeks ahead of the scheduled 6 September end to the summer season.
The decision has disrupted training plans for elite ski teams. Austrian World Cup squads, including groups led by coaches Andi Evers and Michael Rahm, have cancelled camps in Zermatt, with organisers citing widening glacier crevasses near lift tracks as a growing safety concern. An upcoming camp for the women's speed team is also expected to be called off.
Italian-side lifts from Breuil-Cervinia to Plateau Rosa remain open for hikers and mountain bikers. Summer skiing remains possible only on the Stelvio Glacier in Italy and the Allalin Glacier near Saas-Fee in Switzerland.