Doug Meyer on UTMB’s New Travel Policy

Writing for Outside Run:

As a Chamonix resident, I understand the competing interests at hand. All of us who live here know climate change more intimately than most. In the mountains above our homes, permafrost—the frozen water that holds the mountains together like glue—is melting. As a result, Chamonix’s famed aiguilles, or rock spires, are literally crumbling before our eyes. Last August 30th, a massive collapse happened not far from the iconic Aiguille du Midi peak. The tramway to the summit is one of France’s most popular tourist attractions. In one video that went viral on social media, a voice can be heard saying in French, “The Aiguille du Midi cable car is on borrowed time.”
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If participants in the day’s proceedings needed any reminder of the urgency of the issue, they got it when the press conference concluded and they stepped outside Maison UTMB. Just an hour earlier, at the start of the conference, Chamonix reached its high temperature for the day—86 degrees Fahrenheit, about 26 degrees warmer than average. The skies were soot-filled from Canadian forest fires, over 4,000 miles away. The day’s air quality index was 79, giving the region a rating of “poor.”

This.