Image credit : Andrzej Bargiel looking for a way through Khumbu Icefall during the ascent. || Credit: Bartłomiej Pawlikowski/Red Bull Content Pool
The Polish man who climbed and skied down Mount Everest without oxygen
Andrzej Bargiel has set a world record by climbing Mount Everest without oxygen and skiing all the way down to Base Camp. This historic achievement makes him the first person ever to ski down Everest after a no-oxygen ascent.
Andrzej Bargiel, a 37-year-old ski mountaineer from Poland, has achieved what no other human has ever managed before. He successfully climbed Mount Everest without bottled oxygen and then skied all the way down to Base Camp – making history with a world record achievement.
Born on 18 April 1988 in southern Poland, Andrzej Bargiel grew up as the ninth of eleven children in the Bargiel family. Energetic and adventurous from a young age, he took part in sports throughout his school years. Over time, skiing became his chosen discipline, laying the foundation for his extraordinary career as a ski mountaineer.
The record-breaking Everest attempt
On 22 September, Bargiel began his final push towards the summit of Mount Everest. After nearly 16 grueling hours in the “death zone” – above 8,000 metres where oxygen levels drop to life-threatening lows – he clipped into his skis at the very top of the world. He then began his daring descent via the South Col Route. Bing Videos
Image credit: On August 30, 2025, Andrzej Bargiel treks through snow-covered peaks near Everest Base Camp in Nepal || Credit: Bartłomiej Pawlikowski-Red Bull Content
EN – Andrzej Bargiel born on 18th April 1988 in Łętownia, near Jordanów in south Poland. Being the ninth of eleven children of Maria and Józef Bargiel, it was clear especially for my parents, my high energy level has been a constant stream within me since my early childhood.
That night, he stopped at Camp II to rest before resuming his ski descent the following morning. With guidance from a drone operated by his brother Bartek, Andrzej Bargiel navigated the dangerous Khumbu Icefall and safely reached Base Camp. This incredible feat made him the first person ever to climb and ski down Mount Everest without oxygen.
The challenges of the death zone
The “death zone” of Everest is notorious for its thin air, where climbers receive only a third of the oxygen available at sea level. Spending more than a few hours here can result in brain damage, fluid in the lungs, or even death. Bargiel, however, managed to endure nearly 16 hours in these conditions before making a controlled ski descent – a challenge that pushed the very limits of human endurance.
Bargiel’s thoughts on the ascent and descent
Reflecting on the climb, Bargiel on his personal blog on Redbull, admitted it was far from easy:
“The ascent was tough because other expeditions had already ended for the season. The conditions were harsh and I had to be prepared to spend 16 hours above 8,000 metres.”
Speaking about his descent, he explained how he split it into two stages:
“The summit was difficult, but skiing through the Khumbu Icefall was only safe in the morning. I had never spent so much time at such altitude, and that was a challenge in itself.”
A dream years in the making
This was not Bargiel’s first attempt. After two earlier expeditions in 2019 and 2022, his third effort finally paid off. He described it as one of the most important milestones of his career:
“Skiing down Everest without oxygen was a dream I had been chasing for years. The autumn conditions and planning the descent through the Khumbu Glacier were the greatest challenges I could face.”
Past achievements: From K2 to the Karakoram
Andrzej Bargiel is no stranger to breaking records. In 2018, he became the first – and still only – person to ski down K2, the world’s second-highest peak. With Everest now added to his list, he is the only mountaineer in history to ski from both Mount Everest and K2. He has also skied down all the 8,000-metre peaks of the Karakoram range, all without supplementary oxygen.
Why this world record matters
Bargiel’s accomplishment is more than just another extreme sports story. Over 6,000 climbers have summited Everest, but fewer than 200 have done so without bottled oxygen. None had ever combined it with a full ski descent – until now. His achievement highlights what determination, resilience, and world-class training can accomplish against the harshest natural conditions.
Andrzej Bargiel’s Mount Everest ski descent without oxygen is a world record that cements his place in mountaineering history. It’s a milestone that not only redefines extreme skiing but also inspires future generations of climbers to push beyond perceived human limits.
Andrzej Bargiel: what makes his body different from others
Andrzej Bargiel’s body is not inherently “different” in a genetic sense — he is a trained athlete, not a superhuman — but his physical capabilities are the result of years of extreme training, high-altitude conditioning, and repeated exposure to the most demanding environments on Earth Red Bull+1.
1. High-altitude adaptation
Bargiel has spent months training in the Himalayas and Karakoram, acclimatizing his body to the thin air, extreme cold, and low oxygen levels found above 8,000 meters. This adaptation improves oxygen efficiency, cardiovascular endurance, and muscle resilience in low-oxygen environments conzit.com+1.
2. Endurance and cardiovascular fitness
His record-setting ski descents from peaks like K2 and Everest require sustained aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and recovery ability. Bargiel’s body has developed the ability to maintain high-intensity effort for hours in freezing, avalanche-prone terrain Red Bull+1.
3. Muscular and joint resilience
Skiing down steep, icy slopes at extreme altitudes demands powerful leg muscles, strong core stability, and flexible joints. His repeated high-mountain skiing has built the muscular endurance and joint stability needed to control skis on unstable snow and rock conzit.com.
4. Mental and physiological conditioning
Bargiel’s body is also conditioned mentally — his “non-negotiables” include mental strength and resilience, which translate into physical performance under stress Red Bull. This mental toughness allows him to push his body beyond perceived limits.
5. Specialized skill integration
His body has learned to integrate climbing, skiing, and running techniques in a single extreme environment. This cross-skill conditioning means his muscles, lungs, and nervous system are optimized for rapid transitions between climbing and skiing at altitude Wikipedia.
In short, what makes Bargiel’s body “different” is not a mutation or innate superpower, but the cumulative effect of extreme training, environmental exposure, and repeated high-stakes performance. His body is a product of relentless self-development, allowing him to perform feats like skiing down Everest without supplemental oxygen — a capability few humans can even imagine Red Bull+2.
FAQs
Q. Who is Andrzej Bargiel?
Andrzej Bargiel is a Polish ski mountaineer known for his record-breaking climbs and ski descents, including K2 and Mount Everest.
Q. What world record did Andrzej Bargiel achieve on Mount Everest?
He became the first person in history to climb Mount Everest without oxygen and then ski down to Base Camp.
Q. How dangerous is climbing Everest without oxygen?
It is extremely dangerous, as climbers in the “death zone” receive only a third of the oxygen available at sea level, which can lead to brain damage or death.
Q. Has anyone else skied down Everest?
While some have attempted partial ski descents, Andrzej Bargiel is the only person to ski down Mount Everest after a no-oxygen climb.
Q. What other records does Bargiel hold?
He is the first and only person to ski down K2, and he has also skied down all 8,000-metre peaks of the Karakoram range without oxygen.
Ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel becomes the first person to climb Mount Everest and ski back to Everest Base Camp without supplementary oxygen. After nearly 16 hours climbing in the high altitude “death zone” (above 8,000m where oxygen levels are dangerously low), Bargiel clipped into his skis on the summit of the tallest mountain on earth and started his descent via the South Col Route. He reached Camp II that night and rested – the summit ridge and Hillary Step had taken longer than planned, meaning darkness made it dangerous and difficult to navigate further that day. The next morning, he skied through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall – guided by a drone flown by his brother, Bartek – before safely arriving at Base Camp to become the first person to ascend and descend Mount Everest on skis with no supplemental oxygen.
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