Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has added another remarkable achievement to his growing list of high-altitude firsts. In June 2026, Bargiel climbed Pakistan’s 8,126-meter Nanga Parbat, the world’s 9th-highest mountain, without supplemental oxygen before completing the mountain’s first continuous ski descent from the summit to the end of its skiable snow.
The expedition combined an oxygen-free ascent with a descent through some of Nanga Parbat’s most challenging terrain. Bargiel climbed alongside fellow Polish alpinist Janusz Gołąb, who provided support during the ascent.
Bargiel Finds A Way Through Nanga Parbat’s Upper Slopes
Nanga Parbat has long presented a major challenge for ski mountaineers attempting to descend the entire mountain on skis. The upper Diamir Face includes a large serac barrier that had prevented previous skiers from maintaining a continuous descent.
Earlier attempts had required skiers to remove their skis and navigate sections of the mountain on foot before reaching snow again. Bargiel found a route through the ice that allowed him to connect the summit with the mountain’s remaining skiable snow.
The result was the first uninterrupted ski descent of Nanga Parbat from its 8,126-meter summit.
Two Days Above 7,900 Meters
Bargiel began his summit push from base camp at approximately 4,200 meters on June 28. After climbing for two days without supplemental oxygen, he reached the summit and spent approximately 45 minutes at the top before beginning the ski descent.
Bargiel spent roughly two hours above 7,900 meters during the expedition. That elevation falls within the so-called Death Zone, where the extreme altitude significantly reduces the amount of available oxygen.
The Nanga Parbat descent adds to Bargiel’s history of skiing some of the world’s highest mountains. In 2018, he became the first person to ski down K2. In 2025, he climbed and skied Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen. The Nanga Parbat expedition completed a project that had been years in the making, including Bargiel’s goal of climbing and skiing all of Pakistan’s 8,000-meter peaks.