# Schwarzmilzferner loses glacier status after summer heat

- Published: 2026-11-08 16:47 UTC
- Section: Planet › Climate
- Tags: Schwarzmilzferner, glacier status, Alps, ice loss, climate change
- URL: https://realtech.media/news/rt-ad30a15ce016e22e854d2490_schwarzmilzferner_loses_glacier/

**The Schwarzmilzferner in the Allgäu Alps has lost its glacier status due to significant mass loss this summer, raising concerns about the future of alpine glaciers.**

![Schwarzmilzferner loses glacier status after summer heat](https://realtech.media/media/2026/11/6f935b4bcba56041.webp)
*ad-hoc-news.de*

The Schwarzmilzferner, located on the Tyrolean side of the Allgäu Alps, has lost its status as a glacier following this summer's heat. The ice field has lost more than four meters in thickness and approximately half of its volume, according to observations by Christoph Mayer from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and his colleagues, who have monitored the glacier for 26 years. Since 2016, researchers have documented significant losses in ice mass, with the situation intensifying since 2022.

## Loss of Glacier Status

The scientific definition of a glacier includes not only its thickness and volume but also the movement of the ice. The Schwarzmilzferner no longer flows, which disqualifies it from being classified as a glacier. Mayer estimates that the glacier will likely completely disappear after the upcoming summer. The ice field is situated at an elevation of around 2450 meters on the southeast side of Mädelegabel and Hochfrottspitze.

The last four glaciers in Germany have lost more than a quarter of their area within two years, with approximately one million cubic meters of ice lost, as measured by Wilfried Hagg from Munich University and Mayer last year. The Blue Ice Glacier and Watzmann Glacier in the Berchtesgaden Alps are particularly threatened, with projections suggesting that the Northern Schneeferner at Zugspitze may also lose its status by the end of the decade.

## Accelerated Changes in Alpine Glaciers

The loss of the Schwarzmilzferner highlights the accelerated changes occurring in smaller alpine glaciers. Warm summers have a pronounced effect on these ice fields, which have limited reserves against ongoing ice mass loss due to their thinness. While snowy winters can temporarily slow down the melting, they cannot replace the need for consistently cooler summers.

The implications for Germany are significant, as the remaining glaciers are located in Bavaria, particularly in the Wetterstein and Berchtesgaden regions. Their shrinking area and volume not only alter landscapes but also affect alpine measurement series, water balance, and habitats. Glaciers contribute a limited but regionally important amount to runoff during dry and warm periods.

## Sources

1. [ad-hoc-news.de](https://www.ad-hoc-news.de/wissenschaft/schwarzmilzferner-verliert-nach-hitzesommer-den-gletscherstatus/70477413)

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Source: RealTech, realtech.media — https://realtech.media/news/rt-ad30a15ce016e22e854d2490_schwarzmilzferner_loses_glacier/