Polish skier Bartek Ziemski became the second person ever to ski down Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen or personal Sherpa support on Tuesday, May 19th, reaching the top of the world around 9:20am before beginning his descent.
It’s a seriously impressive accomplishment, made even more jaw-dropping by the fact that Ziemski also skied down Lhotse (elevation 27,940 feet) last week, again without supplemental oxygen, fixed ropes, or support. He’s now climbed and skied nine 8,000 meter peaks in this manner.
It’s a pretty impressive feet, but people tend to forget the true danger that lies toward the bottom of the mountain. To escape the slopes of Everest, climbers and skiers alike have to travel through the dangerous Khumbu Icefall, an area full of unstable seracs and deep crevasses. Manish Maharjan and 14 Peaks Production followed Ziemski with a drone as he worked his way through this incredibly sketchy area, providing a great look at just how dangerous it really is.
Ziemski descended the mountain with the Dynastar M-Vertical 88 ski. It doesn’t look liek a top sheet design that Dynastar has released in the past, so either this one is custom or it’s a new edition of the ski that’s yet to be released. No matter the case, the M-Vertical is often appreciated for it’s lightweight feel on the ascent while still delivering a smooth ride on the descent.
