Hikers’ discovery: melting glaciers in the Dolomites reveal a cache of first world war munitions

Explosives emerge from ice

Hikers reported finding bombs during the summer, mainly near Canal San Bovo in the Primiero Valley, eastern Trentino. The Italian army then searched that area and other glacier and mountain sites across Trentino Alto Adige.

The army removed and defused 250 explosives, which had remained encased in ice for more than 100 years. They are remnants of the White War, fought across harsh, cold terrain by Italian troops and the Austro-Hungarian army between 1915 and 1918.

A wider record of retreat

The munitions are not the only traces of the conflict to reappear as glaciers shrink. A wooden barracks built inside a cave on Mount Scorluzzo emerged in 2015 after ice that had covered it for nearly a century melted away.

The 3,095-metre peak overlooks the Stelvio pass, where some explosives were also discovered. Dozens of bodies, including people still wearing uniforms, have emerged from melting ice over the past 15 years.

Climate and mountain safety

Stefano Morosini, a University of Bergamo professor and heritage-project coordinator at Stelvio national park, linked the discoveries to global heating. He said summer heat was also making glacier access less safe.

Eleven people died in 2022 when a large section of the Marmolada glacier broke away. Morosini said visitors could see the speed of glacier retreat and the impact of climate change.

Advice for visitors

Hikers and mountaineers are urged not to touch any explosive device they come across, wherever it is located. They should report discoveries promptly to police. A museum dedicated to the White War is scheduled to open in Bormio in June 2027. It is intended to house relics from the conflict.