Andrzej Bargiel Skis Everest Without Oxygen in Historic First

Polish mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has made history by completing the first full ski descent of Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen. The feat was confirmed this week by his press team, following a climb and descent that began on September 19 and concluded at Base Camp on the morning of September 23.

Bargiel set off from Everest Base Camp at 4:30 am on September 19, steadily moving through the camps before launching his summit push from the South Col (7,900m) at 11:24 pm on September 21. Harsh conditions, including heavy fresh snowfall, slowed progress, and it took nearly 16 hours to reach the top. He stood on the summit shortly after 3 pm local time on September 22, climbing without bottled oxygen alongside Dawa “Speed” Sherpa.

Minutes later, Bargiel clipped into his skis and began his descent, sliding down from the summit through the Hillary Step, the South Summit, and the Balcony, eventually reaching below Camp 4 by 5:20 pm. He continued toward Camp 2, arriving at 8:30 pm, where he stopped for the night.

At 7 am the following morning, Bargiel resumed his ski descent, navigating the perilous Khumbu Icefall entirely on skis. Without fixed ropes or lines, he relied on his skill—and at times, guidance from a drone piloted by his brother, Bartek—to weave through shifting seracs and deep crevasses. At 8:45 am on September 23, he skied into Base Camp, marking the completion of a historic no-O2 ski descent.

While Davo Karnicar of Slovenia accomplished the first complete ski descent of Everest in 2000, he used supplementary oxygen in the upper sections. Bargiel’s achievement is the first to cover the route in its entirety, from summit to Base Camp, without bottled oxygen. Previous ski descents of Everest on both the Nepal and Tibet sides had required rappels, traverses on foot, or oxygen support.

This milestone adds to Bargiel’s remarkable résumé. He has previously skied down four Karakoram giants, including his celebrated complete no-O2 descent of K2 in 2018. Everest had eluded him in two earlier attempts (2019 and 2022), but persistence paid off in this record-setting success.

Although the expedition team provided regular updates throughout September, news of the summit and descent was deliberately held back until this week.

Bargiel’s latest achievement cements his reputation as one of the most innovative and accomplished ski-mountaineers of his generation.