Andrzej Bargiel makes historic ski descent from Everest without oxygen
Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has not only secured his legacy in mountaineering history but has also redefined the limits of possibility on the world's highest peak.
PC: Andrzej Bargiel/ Red Bull Content Pool
Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has made history by skiing from the summit of Mount Everest (8,848.88 m) all the way down to Base Camp without the use of supplemental oxygen, his team confirmed in a statement on Thursday.
His feat has been described a ‘groundbreaking milestone in the world of ski mountaineering’. Andrzej is the first person ever to climb Everest and ski from its summit all the way down to Base Camp—without the use of supplemental oxygen
He completed the descent on September 22. The Department of Tourism, Nepal’s government regulatory body, is yet to verify the successful descent. The department is waiting for the details of the summit and descent of the world’s highest peak.
As per the statement released by his team, Andrzej, 37, began his summit push from Camp 4, enduring over 16 hours in the death zone without bottled oxygen amid heavy snowfall. After reaching the summit around 3:00 PM local time, he paused briefly before clicking into his skis and launching his descent.
Andrzej reached Camp II (6,400 m) by nightfall, where he was forced to bivouac before continuing to Base Camp (5,364 m) the following morning.
In a daring display of skill and preparation, Andrzej navigated the treacherous Khumbu Icefall entirely on skis, using a line he had prepped in advance with his brother and teammate, Bartek Bargiel—without relying on fixed ropes or ladders.
The feat was the culmination of years of preparation and two previous failed attempts. Bargiel was forced to retreat in 2019 due to a massive serac collapse threat, and again in 2022 due to extreme winds at the South Col.
The expedition was part of Andrzej’s ongoing “HIC SUNT LEONES” project, which aims to pioneer ski descents of the world’s highest peaks. It follows his historic 2018 ski descent of K2, and previous successful descents from Shishapangma (2013), Manaslu (2014), Broad Peak (2015), Gasherbrum II (2015), and Gasherbrum I (2018).
His Everest Ski Challenge was supported by a large team including over a dozen Sherpa climbers, with logistics led by Seven Summit Treks.
"The first ever skiing downhill from the summit of Mount Everest without the use of additional oxygen," Andrzej wrote in his Facebook on Thursday. He expressed special gratitude to expedition director Chhang Dawa Sherpa and the Seven Summit Treks team for making the feat possible.
"Without you this success would not be possible," he said.
