Norway’s Folgefonna Glacier Continues To Retreat As Ski Lift Collapses, Marking A Significant Shift In Summer Skiing

Published on September 9, 2025

Norway’s Folgefonna Glacier, erstwhile a celebrated summertime skiing destination, has been retreating astatine an alarming complaint owed to nan accelerating effects of ambiance change. The caller illness of nan skis lift, which was a cardinal characteristic of nan resort, marks a important turning constituent for nan early of summertime skiing successful nan region. The retreating glacier has made it progressively difficult to support nan snowpack that allowed for skiing during nan warmer months, starring to nan closure of nan skis area. The operation of a shrinking glacier and nan illness of captious infrastructure highlights a broader inclination affecting skis resorts worldwide, wherever rising temperatures are shrinking glaciers and threatening nan viability of summertime skiing. This displacement not only signals nan extremity of an era for nan Folgefonna Ski Resort but besides raises concerns astir nan early of different glacier-dependent skis areas facing akin challenges.

The Folgefonna Glacier, located successful Hordaland County, is 1 of Norway’s largest glaciers and a cardinal portion of Folgefonna National Park. For years, its slopes were a premier location for summertime skiing, attracting master skiers and snowboarders. With its high-altitude terrain, nan glacier offered reliable snowfall conditions moreover successful nan warmest months, making it a unsocial destination for wintertime sports enthusiasts.

However, arsenic nan effects of ambiance alteration became much pronounced, nan glacier began to melt astatine an accelerated pace, and maintaining snowfall for nan summertime skis play became progressively challenging. At nan tallness of its operation, workers would haul snowfall into nan little regions of nan glacier to sphere nan snowpack and widen nan skis season. This process helped support nan slopes viable for summertime skiing, but it came to an abrupt halt erstwhile nan skis area went bankrupt successful precocious 2024. The closure marked nan extremity of an era for nan resort, and pinch it, nan skis assistance that had erstwhile carried skiers up nan glacier ceased to operate.

The illness of nan skis lift, which has been partially submerged by a newly-formed reservoir astatine nan guidelines of nan glacier, is simply a stark reminder of nan ongoing effect of ambiance change. The images of nan collapsed assistance are a striking ocular practice of nan glacier’s accelerated retreat. As nan crystal melts and nan reservoir grows, what was erstwhile a bustling skis area is now submerged nether water, pinch nan early of nan edifice uncertain. Even section glacier guides person acknowledged that they tin nary longer bring clients to skis beneath nan assistance owed to nan deteriorating conditions of nan glacier. The pouring is happening faster than ever before, and entree to nan glacier is becoming progressively difficult.

As concerns equine astir nan early of nan resort, it remains unclear whether nan skis assistance will beryllium rebuilt. Reports propose that a caller assistance could costs betwixt 30 to 40 cardinal kroner (around $3.5 million), a important finance successful an area that is quickly changing. In fact, experts person agelong warned that nan glacier’s retreat could spell nan extremity of summertime skiing connected nan Folgefonna Glacier. A 2022 study highlighted nan risks posed by nan glacier’s shrinking size, signaling that maintaining skis operations successful nan area would go progressively difficult arsenic nan glacier continued to recede.

This business astatine Folgefonna is not an isolated one. The retreat of glaciers is simply a world issue, pinch galore skis resorts astir nan world grappling pinch nan challenges posed by ambiance change. In British Columbia, for instance, nan well-known Whistler Blackcomb edifice announced nan suspension of its summertime skis programs connected nan Horstman Glacier owed to nan accelerated pouring of nan glacier. Similarly, a study published successful Nature successful February 2025 revealed that glaciers astir nan world are losing crystal astatine an alarming rate, pinch a grounds 604 cardinal tons of crystal disappearing successful 2023 alone.

Despite nan grim outlook for galore summertime skis destinations, immoderate resorts proceed to connection constricted skiing options. Timberline Lodge successful Oregon, for example, is known for having North America’s longest lift-served skis play and managed to enactment unfastened good into August this year. Copper Mountain successful Colorado besides preserved capable snowfall to connection a summertime hiking park, wherever visitors could still bask nan thrill of skiing successful nan warmer months. However, these examples are becoming rarer arsenic glaciers proceed to shrink and snowpacks dwindle.

Norway’s Folgefonna Glacier is quickly retreating, causing nan illness of its skis assistance and marking a important displacement for summertime skiing successful nan region. This highlights nan broader effect of ambiance alteration connected glacier-dependent skis resorts.

The destiny of nan Folgefonna skis area serves arsenic a clear informing of nan accelerating effects of ambiance change. Glaciers for illustration Folgefonna are not conscionable recreational spots; they are captious ecosystems that support section wildlife, h2o sources, and upwind patterns. As these crystal masses proceed to shrink, it becomes progressively difficult to warrant investments successful maintaining skis infrastructure connected unstable terrain. The illness of nan skis assistance astatine Folgefonna is simply a stark reminder that without important action to combat ambiance change, destinations for illustration these whitethorn soon vanish entirely.