Polish skier Andrzej Bargiel completed the first-ever ski descent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen, conquering the world’s highest peak.
Climbing and Skiing the Everest
Andrzej Bargiel skied down from Mount Everest after first climbing to the summit. As reported by Red Bull Polska, the ascent from Base Camp to the summit took him over three days, including 16 hours in the “death zone.” On September 22 at 15:17, he began his descent. At the height of Camp II (6,400 m), darkness forced him to halt navigation. The next morning, he resumed his descent, navigating the challenging Khumbu Icefall and safely reaching Base Camp. Notably, Bargiel completed the descent on skis without supplemental oxygen.
The skiing portal Tatromaniak praised his achievement, stating, “In a phenomenal style, Bargiel conquered the Khumbu Icefall without ropes or handholds, completing the descent to the base.”
Bargiel’s Reflection on the Expedition
On Thursday, Andrzej Bargiel commented on his historic feat. “Thank you all for keeping your fingers crossed! Huge thanks to the Seven Summit Treks team, Chang Dawa, and Speed Dawa—without you, this success wouldn’t have been possible. I also sincerely thank all my partners for your support and for believing in the success of this project for so long! Thank you also to my entire crew for being with me,” he wrote on X. He added, “I knew that the difficult autumn conditions and the descent line through the Khumbu Icefall were the biggest challenges I could face. Thanks to the support of Red Bull and the team on-site, my dream finally became a reality.”
Bargiel explained that he split the descent into two parts because navigating the technically difficult Icefall safely was only possible in the morning. “The action at the summit was laborious and difficult. I’ve never spent so much time at such high altitudes, so that alone was a challenge,” he recounted.
The Long-Awaited Expedition
The idea of skiing down Mount Everest originated in 2012 during a climb on the neighboring Lhotse peak. In 2019, Bargiel had to abandon the expedition due to adverse conditions. Three years later, another attempt failed because of the weather. This time, despite unfavorable conditions, Bargiel seized the last weather window during his September expedition before its planned conclusion, as reported by Red Bull Polska.
