Mountaineering icon Reinhold Messner affectionately bids farewell to Laura Dahlmeier with a passionate kiss.
In recent years, global warming has significantly impacted the safety of mountaineering, making alpine terrain more unstable and hazardous. The rise in rockfall events is primarily due to thawing permafrost caused by rising temperatures, which weakens the natural "glue" that binds fractured rock faces together, leading to more frequent and unpredictable collapses.
This trend has been evident in mountainous regions like the Alps, where rockfalls have surged in frequency and intensity. The thawing of permafrost above approximately 2,500 meters destabilizes rock walls previously held together by ice, increasing the danger to climbers and hikers. Melting glaciers expose and weaken rock faces, further raising risks. Fatal accidents like the death of a climber in the Himalayas serve as grim reminders of these dangers, and authorities must increasingly address these risks amid rising mountain tourism.
One such tragic event occurred in July 2025, when double Olympic champion Laura Dahlmeier was fatally injured in a rockfall at an altitude of 5,700 meters on Laila Peak in Pakistan. Despite the efforts of mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner and renowned climber Thomas Huber, the difficult terrain foiled the rescue attempt, and the recovery of Dahlmeier's body has not been carried out as of the update on 05.08.2025. Dahlmeier's family and management explicitly requested that no risky recovery operations be carried out, and Thomas Huber decided not to proceed with the recovery due to the immense risks involved.
Mountaineering safety is a growing concern, and authorities are taking measures to mitigate the risks. Enhanced geological and permafrost monitoring systems help detect unstable areas in real time, enabling evacuation or route adjustment for mountaineers. Mountaineering guides and clubs are increasingly advising avoidant routes and times of day when rockfall risk is lower, such as early mornings when temperatures are colder and less thawing occurs. Protection structures like rockfall nets and barriers are deployed in vulnerable zones near popular mountain trails and chalets.
Public awareness is also crucial in minimizing risk. Climbers are advised on changing mountain risks due to climate change, the necessity of flexibility in plans, and preparedness for unstable terrain. Reinhold Messner, in an emotional tribute to Dahlmeier in Bunte Magazine, drew attention to the dangers in the mountains and mentioned that the number of rockfalls is increasing due to global warming.
The interconnection between climate change, rockfalls, and glacier dynamics was underscored by recent cases in the Dolomites and Swiss Alps, where unprecedented rock collapses in 2025 were linked directly to prolonged heatwaves and thawing permafrost. The 2025 Blatten glacier collapse in Switzerland, triggered by thawing permafrost and accelerating rockfalls, caused massive destruction and required evacuation.
As global warming continues to accelerate natural processes that lead to rockfalls in alpine areas, continuous scientific monitoring, adaptive safety protocols, and informed awareness are key to minimizing risk. The tragic loss of mountaineers like Laura Dahlmeier serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by climate change and the urgent need for action.
- Despite the advent of advancements in geological and permafrost monitoring systems to detect unstable areas, the interconnection between global warming, rockfalls, and glacier dynamics is causing mounting concerns in sports like hockey, which have training facilities at higher altitudes.
- As global warming leads to increased risks in mountaineering, such as unpredictable rockfalls and collapses in alpine areas, the Alexandria Sports Club, which has a summer training camp in the Swiss Alps, is contemplating potential relocation sites to minimize risks for its athletes.
