Slovenia is mourning the disappearance of the last remaining ice patch on the Triglav glacier, marking the end of a long decline accelerated by Europe's recent record-breaking summer heat. The glacier, located on Slovenia’s highest peak, has lost nearly all of its ice cover, a visible symptom of ongoing climate change in the Alpine region.
Once spanning roughly 40 hectares in the mid-19th century, the Triglav glacier’s surface area had already reduced to 14 hectares by 1946, when formal measurements began. Between 1983 and 2003, the glacier lost 93% of its surface area, dwindling to less than one hectare by the early 2000s. Despite fears of immediate disappearance, small ice remnants persisted for nearly two decades. However, the extraordinary heatwaves of the past five years, including Europe’s hottest summer on record, have eradicated these last fragments.
Recent photographs show no remaining ice on the mountainside, with the final sections of the glacier reduced to isolated pockets just meters across before the summer thaw. Matija Zorn, director of the Anton Melik Geographical Institute, who first measured the glacier in 2001, described the ongoing retreat as shocking. “Every year I knew that the ice was going to be less and less, but I was shocked every year by how much less ice was up there,” he said.
Climate scientists attribute the sharp decline to rising temperatures intensified by carbon pollution. The phenomenon is not unique to Slovenia; neighboring Switzerland has seen nearly 20% of its glacial ice vanish over the last five years, with a 5.5% volume drop recorded in 2026 alone. Across the Alps, glaciers are shrinking rapidly, exposing barren rock surfaces that have been likened to lunar landscapes.
Triglav holds a central place in Slovenian culture, symbolizing national identity and outdoor tradition. The mountain is a popular destination for climbers and skiers, with many Slovenians considering reaching its summit a rite of passage. The loss of the glacier not only represents environmental change but also the disappearance of a natural monument that has been a fixture in the country for generations.
While the main glacier has disappeared, ice remains in caves beneath Triglav, newly exposed by the glacier’s retreat. Another glacier on Slovenia’s Skuta mountain has also thinned significantly but is expected to endure longer due to better shading.
The devastating summer heat across Western Europe caused at least 50,000 heat-related deaths and triggered a host of secondary effects, including agricultural failures and power outages. Scientists continue to evaluate the broader ecological impacts of the extreme weather events.
Miha Pavšek, a glaciologist and mountain guide, reflected on the personal loss tied to the glacier’s disappearance. “With the melting of the glacier, a part of me is also going away,” he said, recalling a photograph of his parents on Triglav from 1957. “There are some things that humans thought were eternal. Glaciers are obviously not.”