Like a bolt from the blue comes the news that summer skiing will no longer take place on the Val Senales Glacier, due to global warming which in recent years has caused the glacier to shrink steadily to historic lows.
It is a forced decision, explains the local tourism board, making no secret of how harsh weather conditions have been in recent years: high temperatures have stripped the glacier of the raw material needed for summer skiing, making a change of course unavoidable. Lifts will close on May 5 and reopen in early October.
After the Marmolada and the Presena Glacier, the Alto Adige glacier has now also been forced to bow to climate change: just like the Queen of the Dolomites (the Marmolada), snow and ice are running short here too, turning summer skiing into a luxury that can no longer be sustained and bringing an era to a close that will likely never return.
Alongside alpine summer skiing, snowboarding also pays the price, having long found one of its premier summer destinations right here. The availability of vast expanses of snow had given rise to one of Italy’s leading snowparks, the Gentlemenriders Nitro Park, a gathering spot for top riders from all over Europe.
A strategic choice? Focusing entirely on winter
This drastic decision also appears to stem from strategic considerations. Without summer skiing, the glacier can rest and kick off the winter season with an early autumn opening, specifically in October.
While that might sound minor to some, it is worth remembering that many high-altitude ski areas are experiencing not only the end of summer skiing, but also increasingly delayed autumn lift openings compared to the past.
Stelvio, Italy’s last outpost of summer skiing
The decision to end summer skiing in Val Senales is sure to spark debate between supporters and critics of the practice. Whether driven by human activity or natural cycles, Alpine glaciers are retreating, and in summer 2013 summer skiing will be practiced in only 2 Italian resorts: Cervinia and Stelvio. Considering that the former actually serves as a gateway to the Plateau Rosà glacier located in Swiss territory, the only true Italian stronghold remains on the border between Trentino and Lombardy: the Stelvio Glacier.
The end of summer skiing in Val Senales marks a turning point in the history of skiing—we leave the comments to you…
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