Mont Blanc's glaciers are rapidly retreating due to climate warming and heat waves. Permafrost is thawing, causing increased rock falls and instability on mountain slopes. This summer saw a significant surge in rock collapses, impacting climbing routes and safety. Alpine glaciers have lost substantial surface area, with higher altitudes now experiencing rain. Communities and researchers are preparing for serious scenarios of falling ice and rock.

Tarpaulins cover the ice cave of the 'Mer de Glace' glacier to prevent it from melting, at the Montenvers station in Chamonix, France, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Laurent…

Climate change is increasingly becoming a threat to the snow-clad European Alps, amid initial investigations associating the August 26 Nepal tragedy with rising temperatures.