Andrzej Bargiel makes mountaineering history with an unprecedented descent
On 23 September 2025, Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel did something nobody had ever done before: he skied all the way down from the summit of Everest without bottled oxygen.
When you think “Everest,” what comes to mind is oxygen tanks, staged camps, endless ropes, Sherpa support — all of it necessary to survive the altitude. Bargiel ignored that playbook. He climbed from Camp III to the top in a single push. No extra oxygen, no fixed ropes, no Sherpas guiding him step by step.
And then, instead of trudging back down, he strapped on skis. He dropped into the Hornbein Couloir — an exposed chute high above — and then descended via the South Col route, threading through crevasses, ice fields, and the ever-dangerous Khumbu Icefall.
He wasn’t completely alone: his brother, Bartek, ran drone operations — scouting ahead, monitoring route conditions, relaying data in real time. It’s as much a tale of modern tech meeting old-school boldness as it is of endurance.
This isn’t just another Everest story. It reframes what we think is “possible” at altitude. In a world where Everest has become increasingly crowded, commercialised, and controversial, Bargiel’s approach is almost a counterpoint: light, precise, audacious.
He’s not just summited — he’s redefined the mountain. And in doing so, he’s raised the bar in high-altitude ski mountaineering.
For the full video and behind-the-scenes of Andrzej Bargiel’s Everest descent, visit Red Bull’s official coverage.
Image Credit: Red Bull Media House