Rockfall at 3,500 metres

On the evening of 1 September 2026 at 20:00, a rock collapse occurred on the north-east face of Monviso, a few hundred metres below the summit. The detachment happened at an altitude of approximately 3,500 metres in the steep couloirs between Torrioni Sucai and Torrione Saint-Robert. Falling rock, snow, soil, and debris plunged down the cliffs, creating a scene observed directly from Rifugio Giacoletti. The collapse triggered a dense white dust cloud that quickly enveloped the surrounding area and Rifugio Quintino Sella. The main rock deposit halted before striking the hiking path ascending from Pian del Re. An Alpine Rescue helicopter flew into the sector shortly after 20:00, but dust in suspension prevented rescuers from lowering personnel to the ground.

“The retreat of glaciers is substantial and steady with these heatwaves. What we are touching first-hand, including with this latest rockfall, is that there is an incredible transformation of the mountains.”

Search operations and trail closures

Emergency personnel, including the Speleo Alpino Fluviale unit of the fire service and Alpine Rescue technicians, inspected the slope using a Drago helicopter to map the perimeter of the detachment. Rescue coordinators initially launched searches for a foreign hiker who had failed to check into Rifugio Quintino Sella before nightfall. On the morning of 2 September, search teams confirmed the tourist was safe and verified that no people had been caught beneath the slide. In response to the geological event, the municipality of Crissolo ordered the preventive closure of the trail connecting Lago Chiaretto to Colle del Viso. Local hut managers, the prefecture, and rescue services continue to assess whether adjacent high-altitude paths require further access restrictions.

Geological instability and permafrost degradation

Monviso possesses fractured rock structures that make its steep gullies prone to falling stones, with aerial photographs showing a marked increase in debris deposits below the cliffs since 2010. On 26 December 2019, a previous detachment on the same north-east sector released approximately 200,000 cubic metres of rock, according to Arpa Piemonte. Agency scientists identified permafrost degradation at elevations above 2,800 to 3,000 metres as a key factor weakening high-elevation rock faces. Members of Legambiente, who surveyed Monviso two hours prior to the collapse during their Carovana dei Ghiacciai campaign, pointed to widespread instability across the Alps. They compared the conditions to changes observed at the Planpincieux glacier and the Forni glacier, which has fragmented into three pieces after retreating 3 kilometres over 150 years.

Regional monitoring and administrative response

Following the rockfall, the regional government of Piedmont announced the formation of a coordination table under the Regional Climate Change Observatory. The administrative working group will include Arpa Piemonte, the Alpine and Speleological Rescue Service, provincial authorities from Cuneo, and scientific researchers. The initiative aims to combine existing geological data and establish long-term monitoring systems to anticipate future slope failures. Regional Mountain Councillor Marco Gallo explained that the summit represents an essential step in safeguarding Alpine heritage and local communities.

“The detachment on Tuesday is part of a series of phenomena that have affected Monviso for some time. For the first time, we will bring together different skills in the Region to build a unified picture and understand what is happening to the King of Stone.”