When 37-year-old Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel became the first person to climb Mount Everest and ski back to Everest Base Camp without supplementary oxygen on September 22nd, 2025 it made international headlines but there was very little footage released at the time of his monumental feat.
Over a month after Bargiel’s historic day, we now have 30 minute video documenting his 16 hour high altitude climb in the “death zone” (above 26,000 feet where oxygen levels are dangerously low) and incredible footage of his descent from the summit of the tallest mountain on earth via the South Col Route.
Bargiel made it to Camp II that night and rested. The summit ridge and Hillary Step had took longer than anticipated and when darkness set in, continuing was deemed too dangerous so he waited it out for the sun to rise.
“I split the descent into two parts, as navigating the technically difficult Icefall in relatively safe conditions was only possible in the morning. The summit itself was arduous and difficult. I’d never spent so much time at such an altitude in my life, so that was a challenge in itself.”
The following morning, he skied through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall with the help of his brother Bartek who flew a drone overhead and radioed navigation instructions to avoid death traps. Bargiel eventually arrived at Base Camp and etched his name into the history books as he became the first person to ascend and descend Mount Everest on skis with no supplementary oxygen.
