In a groundbreaking achievement high above the clouds, American climber and skier Jim Morrison has made history as the first person ever to ski down Mount Everest’s most challenging route — the Hornbein Couloir. The 50-year-old adventurer descended over 9,000 feet on skis from the mountain’s north face, marking one of the most technically demanding descents ever attempted in mountaineering history.

The expedition, documented by Oscar-winning filmmaker Jimmy Chin — known for Free Solo — took five years of planning and three separate attempts to complete. Morrison and Chin reached the summit in mid-October 2025, seizing a narrow one-day weather window to make their descent.

“It’s very steep, unrelenting, and technically just really challenging,” Morrison told Good Morning America. “Only five people have ever even made it up this route.”

The pair’s journey will feature in an upcoming National Geographic documentary currently in production, offering an inside look at their risk-filled climb and descent from 29,032 feet above sea level.

Morrison dedicated the feat to his late partner Hilaree Nelson, who tragically died during a ski descent on Mount Manaslu in 2022. He described his state of mind at the summit as intensely focused:

“As my friends celebrated on the summit, I was preparing to ski down. I had to be precise — the consequences were extraordinary.”

The descent, combining the Hornbein and Japanese Couloirs, took nearly four hours to complete. Both Morrison and Chin reflected on the role of fear management in their success.

“Fear can either serve you or debilitate you,” Chin said. “You learn to use it to sharpen your focus and judgment.”

Morrison’s successful ski marks a new chapter in Everest exploration, blending extreme skiing, mountaineering, and technical mastery. The upcoming film promises to showcase the beauty and danger of one of Earth’s most unforgiving environments.