Norway — The lead-up to the 2025 ski season started with so much promise for the Fonna Glacier Ski Resort. Following its bankruptcy filing last year, a new group announced its intention to acquire and reopen the ski resort. However, that deal fell apart, and the lift didn’t end up operating. With no one maintaining the slopes or lift, a devastating series of events occurred.
Over the summer, the glacier that was home to the ski resort continued to diminish. The ski resort operators typically brought in snow that covered any of the water that would emerge from the bottom of the lift line. However, even these efforts would result in a slight emergence of a lake over the preceding ten years. This year, that effort didn’t happen. This resulted in the lake emerging, and the surface lift that serviced the terrain collapsing. Many lift towers are now on the ground, and it appears that at least one of them is in the lake. Fears and frustration are growing about the situation, due to the expectation that the lake will double within ten years.
Photos and a video shared with us by Folgefonni Breførarlag show that the lift has collapsed, and the ski field is in rough shape.
According to NRK, one of the reasons this happened is that no one is taking responsibility for the remains of the ski resort. The bankrupt company behind the operation isn’t taking responsibility for removing the assets, and the municipality isn’t keen on removing them either.
It appears that the future of the glacier as a ski area is officially done for. Now, the concern is getting the infrastructure removed so that people can use the area inside the national park and prevent any potential injuries. While lift-serviced skiing is likely a thing of the past, the area remains popular for glacial expedition tours, such as those offered by Folgefonni Breførarlag.
Image/Video Credits: Folgefonni Breførarlag, Fonna Glacier Ski Resort
