Ski you later! This 34-acre Slovenian glacier popular with skiers could disappear entirely within days, scientists warn

Published: 11:07 EDT, 6 October 2026 | Updated: 11:28 EDT, 6 October 2026 Once a popular spot for skiers, Triglav Glacier is melting away to nothing, and could soon disappear entirely.Located in Slovenia, it once covered 14 hectares (34 acres) when scientists first started tracking the huge ice formation in 1946.But over the years, it has ceased functioning as a glacier, and no new ice has formed on it, leaving what used to be a symbol of the country's Alpine heritage to gradually vanish.Scientists believe the Triglav Glacier could disappear completely within days.'Everything indicates that the very ​last remnants of ice will literally disappear within these coming days,' Miha Pavšek of the Anton Melik Geographical Institute at the Research Centre of the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts told Reuters. Mr Pavšek has monitored Triglav for 30 years and has witnessed the decline in size first-hand. The last piece of Triglav pictured on Slovenia's highest mountain 'It seems that this ​major task, at least regarding the one under Triglav, is coming to an ‌end ⁠this year,' he added.The glacier is situated on the northeastern side of Mount Triglav, Slovenia's tallest mountain at 9,395.2ft high.However, as climate change progresses, the area saw below-average snowfall and the snow that did fall melted earlier than usual.This left the glacier exposed to summer heat for longer, accelerating the decline.'Even a sheltered, ​shaded location could ​no longer ⁠save the remnants of these true glaciers,' Mr Pavšek explained. The situation in Triglav is a sad story echoing across Europe, with many other once impressive glaciers now shrinking due to global warming. Meanwhile, over in Switzerland scientists from ETH Zurich visited 23 glaciers for end-of-summer measurements of both ice melt and snow accumulation and concluded 2026 has been 'devastating' for the country's glaciers. Their results show that in total, the glaciers have lost 5.5 per cent of their ice volume so far this year. The area saw below-average snowfall and the flakes it did receive melted earlier than usual Scientists expect it could disappear completely within daysOn average, glacier thickness has decreased by 2.9m (9.5ft), while some glacier tongues have lost a staggering 10m (32ft) of ice. Sadly, several smaller glaciers have melted entirely – with some lost forever. A terrifying map has revealed the fate of every single glacier on Earth. Called the Global Glacier Extinction Explorer, the interactive tool is the brainchild of scientists from ETH Zurich and Vrije Universiteit Brussel. By zooming in, you can investigate whether a glacier is expected to disappear under different levels of global warming. The map also reveals approximately when this could happen.