Climate-risk ranking · 2026
Ski Resorts Losing Snow Fastest: 2026 Climate-Risk Ranking
A landmark Nature Climate Change study (Morin et al., 2023) quantified what skiers already feel: snow reliability collapses sharply below ~1500 m base elevation in the Alps. We applied those thresholds to 34 major European ski resorts to produce a clear, citable risk ranking.
Quick answer: The resorts losing snow fastest are those with base villages below 900 m. In our dataset the most at-risk are Mayrhofen, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Schladming, Špindlerův Mlýn. Glacier and 1800 m+ resorts (Val Thorens, Zermatt, Saas-Fee, Cervinia) remain structurally snow-reliable.
Full ranking by snow-reliability risk
| # | Resort | Country | Base | Top | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mayrhofen | Austria | 630 m | 2500 m | Critical |
| 2 | Garmisch-Partenkirchen Bavarian base village highly dependent on snowmaking. | Germany | 720 m | 2720 m | Critical |
| 3 | Schladming | Austria | 745 m | 2700 m | Critical |
| 4 | Špindlerův Mlýn | Czech Republic | 750 m | 1310 m | Critical |
| 5 | Kitzbühel World Cup venue, but base altitude is now a structural challenge. | Austria | 800 m | 2000 m | Critical |
| 6 | Kranjska Gora | Slovenia | 810 m | 1295 m | Critical |
| 7 | Morzine Village skiing repeatedly affected in warm Januaries. | France | 1000 m | 2466 m | Critical |
| 8 | Bansko | Bulgaria | 936 m | 2600 m | High |
| 9 | Engelberg | Switzerland | 1000 m | 3028 m | High |
| 10 | Saalbach | Austria | 1003 m | 2096 m | High |
| 11 | Chamonix Top is glacial and reliable; valley skiing is not. | France | 1035 m | 3842 m | High |
| 12 | La Clusaz | France | 1100 m | 2600 m | High |
| 13 | Laax | Switzerland | 1100 m | 3018 m | High |
| 14 | Megève | France | 1113 m | 2350 m | High |
| 15 | Les Gets | France | 1172 m | 2002 m | High |
| 16 | Cortina d'Ampezzo | Italy | 1224 m | 3243 m | Elevated |
| 17 | Courchevel | France | 1260 m | 3230 m | Elevated |
| 18 | Borovets | Bulgaria | 1350 m | 2560 m | Elevated |
| 19 | Sölden | Austria | 1377 m | 3340 m | Elevated |
| 20 | Andermatt | Switzerland | 1444 m | 2961 m | Elevated |
| 21 | Méribel | France | 1450 m | 2952 m | Elevated |
| 22 | Verbier | Switzerland | 1500 m | 3330 m | Moderate |
| 23 | Madonna di Campiglio | Italy | 1550 m | 2600 m | Moderate |
| 24 | Davos | Switzerland | 1560 m | 2844 m | Moderate |
| 25 | Hintertux Glacier — year-round skiing. | Austria | 1500 m | 3250 m | Low |
| 26 | Zermatt Glacier access protects season length. | Switzerland | 1620 m | 3899 m | Low |
| 27 | Saas-Fee | Switzerland | 1800 m | 3500 m | Low |
| 28 | Livigno | Italy | 1816 m | 2900 m | Low |
| 29 | St. Moritz | Switzerland | 1822 m | 3303 m | Low |
| 30 | Val d'Isère | France | 1850 m | 3456 m | Low |
| 31 | Obergurgl | Austria | 1930 m | 3080 m | Low |
| 32 | Cervinia | Italy | 2050 m | 3883 m | Low |
| 33 | Tignes | France | 2100 m | 3456 m | Low |
| 34 | Val Thorens Highest resort village in Europe. | France | 2300 m | 3230 m | Low |
Methodology
- Source thresholds: Morin et al., Nature Climate Change (2023); EEA snow-cover monitoring (2024).
- Risk buckets: Critical < 900 m · High 900–1200 m · Elevated 1200–1500 m · Moderate 1500–1800 m · Low ≥ 1800 m.
- Base elevation is the lowest lift-served village. Top elevation is the highest skiable point.
- Glacier-accessible resorts (Zermatt, Hintertux, Saas-Fee, Cervinia) are downgraded to "low" regardless of base because their highest sectors remain snow-sure.
- This ranking measures structural risk, not snowmaking capacity. Heavily-invested resorts can extend seasons below natural thresholds at rising cost and environmental impact.
Cite this report
Where to Ski. (2026). Ski Resorts Losing Snow Fastest: 2026 Climate-Risk Ranking. https://where-to-ski.com/reports/resorts-losing-snow-fastest-2026/