Polish ski mountaineer completes historic feat after years of preparation and previous failed attempts KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 25 Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has etched his name in Himalayan history, successfully completing the first-ever winter ski descent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen on September 22. The bold feat was the culmination of years of meticulous planning and dogged perseverance. Chinese alpinist He Jing becomes first woman to scale all 14 true 8,000 m peaks without Oxygen Draft Citizenship Bill recognizes descent by mother's name: Home Minister Lekhak Bargiel, who had scouted the route from the South Col just a week earlier, finally achieved his goal. "I have finally done it," he said. "Around 3:00 p.m., I stood atop the roof of the world and began skiing down from the summit. It was really hard but amazing to scale Mt. Everest this autumn and ski from the top." This triumph marked a third-time success for Bargiel, whose previous attempts to climb and ski from the summit without bottled oxygen were foiled by the mountain's dangers. In autumn 2019, a giant serac threatened the Khumbu Icefall, forcing a retreat-a danger confirmed at the time by expedition organizer Seven Summit Treks. A second attempt in 2022 ended at the South Col due to fierce winds. "To finally stand on top and ski down after those setbacks feels extraordinary," Bargiel remarked. The 37-year-old Red Bull athlete descended on skis from the 8,848-meter summit to Camp II within a few hours, rested overnight, and continued to Base Camp early on September 23. He described the challenge as "a couple of hours of total focus," calling the experience "unlike anything I've ever done." The expedition was locally managed by Seven Summit Treks, with Expedition Director Chhang Dawa Sherpa providing critical oversight from Base Camp. He called it a "proud moment" for the company to organize the historic endeavor, adding that Bargiel's success would inspire climbers worldwide. "Andrzej's patience and precision were remarkable," Chhang Dawa observed. "By monitoring every detail from weather to route safety, we showed what careful planning and pure determination can achieve." The effort was supported by a team of more than 16 Sherpa climbers and IFMGA guides. It has been reported that the Department of Tourism has been informed of the successful ascent, however they are still awaiting full details on timing and logistics which is expected to be released by Red Bull shortly. While Andrzej Bargiel was not the first to attempt skiing down Everest, his full descent from the summit sets a new benchmark in high-altitude skiing. His achievement contrasts with earlier milestones, such as Slovenian Davo Karničar's 2000 ski descent from the summit using supplemental oxygen, and Italian Hans Kammerlander's 1996 oxygen-free run, which began about 300 meters below the peak. The Everest descent is the latest milestone in Bargiel's "Hic Sunt Leones" ("here are lions" in Latin) project, an ongoing quest to ski down the world's highest mountains. His resume already includes pioneering ski descents of six other eight-thousanders: Shishapangma (2013), Manaslu (2014), Broad Peak (2015), Gasherbrum II (2015), K2 (2018), and Gasherbrum I (2018). In 2023, he became the first to ski down all four of Karakoram's 8,000-meter peaks. Born 18 April 1988 in Łętownia, Poland, Bargiel discovered the mountains through his older brother Grzegorz, a mountain rescuer who introduced him to ski touring. He began competing in ski-mountaineering events in 2006 and counts Mount Elbrus as his first major summit. For Bargiel, however, the Everest ski line is both an ending and a beginning. Reflecting on the expedition, Bargiel said, "I will continue skiing in Patagonia and other mountains." "Everest has been a personal dream for many years, and to finally accomplish it this way is incredibly satisfying," he added. Bargiel expressed special gratitude to expedition director Chhang Dawa Sherpa and the Seven Summit Treks team, including climber Speed Dawa Sherpa, for making the feat possible. "Without you this success would not be possible," he said. He also credited a wide team for their roles in planning, health, safety, filming, and logistics: Tomek Gaj – expedition manager, Patricia Jonetzko – physician, Peter Sadowski – physiotherapist, Jan G. Jansienica-Roj – safety services manager, Dariusz Załuski – sports support/camera operator, Maciej Sulima – cameraman, Bartek Bargiel – drone operator, and Bartek Pawlikowski – photographer. Additional contributors included Daria Woszek, Michał Pukowiec, Manish Tamang Pakhrin, Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, Sandro Groman-Hayes, Marek Krynicki, Wojtek Kozłowski, Wojtek Sanecki, Maja Zielińska, Natalia Dziurny, Weronika Stadnik, and Anna Odzeniak. With this historic ascent and descent, Andrzej Bargiel has not only secured his legacy in mountaineering history but has also redefined the limits of possibility on the world's highest peak. Bargiel returned to Poland on September 25.