As the summer sun casts its (scarily) warm glow on the Swiss Alps, riders from across Europe are once again flocking to Snowpark Zermatt. After a prolonged closure last summer, the park has made a triumphant return, and I saw no choice but to make my regular summer pilgrimage to check it out once again.

The reopening of the Zermatt park comes as a much-anticipated relief for riders who were left longing for their favorite playground during most of the previous summer season, which was the first since parks began that Europe went without public summer skiing. However, it is impossible to ignore the impact of climate change on the pristine glaciers that have long been the backdrop of this winter wonderland.

An overview of the lower section of the park

The shape crew has done a fantastic job, but it's definitely still low tide out there despite some late-season snow. Les Deux Alpes has already closed for a reason, and while Zermatt is planning to remain open all summer, they will doubtless take in the reality of conditions. If you want to guarantee good conditions and open lifts, I'd make a trip sooner rather than later, personally. Rising temperatures and receding ice serve as stark reminders of the challenges that lie ahead.

But let's turn our attention to the present and revel in the excitement that we can actually go skiing this summer. Nestled in the shadow of the Matterhorn, the park once more offers an extensive range of features that cater to riders of all skill levels. From a poppy big jump and a small jump line to creative rail and box options, every inch of the available space has been used to deliver the best park possible.

Probably the best jump the summer park has had in years. Shoutout Linus for doing the stunts so I didn't have to.

Honestly, the jump is one of the best that the summer park has ever had and the soft snow mitigates the slightly flat landing, somewhat inevitable given the terrain and snow level. There were plenty of riders throwing down and unlocking new tricks, which is a testament to what the park crew has pulled off. Rail and box enthusiasts will find themselves spoiled for choice. The park's crafted setups offer a multitude of options, from technical rails to fun, playful options. Whether you're a pro or just starting your freestyle journey, the park's diverse range of features encourages creativity and progression. The big rainbow to long up-flat-down line a blast just to slide and there is a very trickable dfdf at the base of the park. The top section, as usual, boasts a variety of tube options for tech tricks and warming up.

Backdrops don't get much better than this, and this rail is a ton of fun.

The new lift from Testa Grigia to Klein Matterhorn makes getting down a whole lot easier than ever before (and crucially, makes it easy to grab a lasagne and a beer on the cheaper Italian side of the border too). But while the Snowpark Zermatt's reopening is cause for celebration for European riders, it is crucial to approach it with a sense of awareness. We can enjoy it while it lasts, but there might not be all that many years left on the clock for summer shredding in Europe. As riders, we have the questionable privilege of witnessing firsthand the effects of climate change on our mountains.

That Zermatt Snowpark has opened at all is thanks to the indomitable spirit of the shape crew and to the support for freestyle of Matterhorn Zermatt Bergbahnen. It's the last public summer park left in the Alps after all. We hope to see you out there crushing it this summer, enjoy it while it lasts!

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Find out more and book your tickets here.