Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has become the first person to summit Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and ski all the way down to Base Camp. The feat, completed on September 22, 2025, is being hailed worldwide as one of the most daring achievements in extreme sports.
Bargiel, 37, reached the top of the world’s highest mountain (8,849 metres) via the South Col route. Unlike most climbers, who rely on bottled oxygen to survive the thin air in the “death zone” above 8,000 metres, Bargiel climbed entirely on his own lungs. He then clipped into his skis and began an audacious descent through some of the most dangerous terrain on Earth.
The climber spent nearly 16 hours above 8,000 metres, where oxygen levels are so low that the human body can no longer acclimatise. Many mountaineers have perished in this altitude band, which is why Bargiel’s refusal to use supplemental oxygen makes the achievement even more extraordinary.
Heavy snowfall slowed his progress near the summit, forcing him to endure a longer stay in the death zone than planned.
From the summit, Bargiel carefully picked his way down steep icy faces, sheer ridges, and unstable snowfields. By nightfall, he had reached Camp II at about 6,400 metres, where he rested before tackling the infamous Khumbu Icefall the next morning. Navigating the labyrinth of crevasses and shifting ice blocks, he finally skied into Base Camp (5,364 metres), completing the first uninterrupted ski descent of Everest without oxygen.
The expedition was part of Bargiel’s Hic Sunt Leones project, a personal mission to pioneer ski descents of the world’s highest peaks under the toughest conditions. He had previously skied down K2 and other 8,000-metre mountains, but Everest remained the ultimate challenge.
Ski descents of Everest have been attempted before, but all previous attempts involved supplemental oxygen. Climbing without it is so rare that out of more than 6,000 Everest summits, only about 200 have been achieved oxygen-free. Combining that with a full ski descent sets Bargiel apart.
Beyond the statistics, Bargiel’s triumph is also a story of persistence. He had tried twice before to achieve the goal, in 2019 and 2022, but bad weather and dangerous conditions forced him to turn back. This year, patience and planning paid off.
The visual spectacle has already captured the imagination of fans. Drone footage — piloted by his brother and expedition partner — shows him carving turns against a backdrop of sweeping Himalayan peaks.
His achievement has also sparked inspiration among athletes and dreamers alike. In Poland, Bargiel has become a national hero. Across the world, he is being celebrated as proof that human limits are constantly being redefined.
“Everest taught me humility,” Bargiel said in his closing remarks. “It reminded me that success comes not just from strength, but from patience, respect for nature, and belief in your dream.”
Everest has seen countless climbers, but never before has anyone skied from its peak to its base without a breath of bottled oxygen.
