GILGIT: The Polish ski-mountaineer, Andrzej Bargiel, skied down from Nanga Parbat on June 30, 2026 – he put on his skis at an elevation of 8,126 meters and descended down to Base Camp, achieving in one stroke the most impressive accomplishment of mountaineering ever recorded. Bargiel made the descent on skis, breathing just regular air.
Bargiel has since then skied down from the peak of each of the five peaks in Pakistan that exceed 8,000 metres, which are namely Broad Peak, Gasherbrum I, Gasherbrum II, K2 and Nanga Parbat. This has been accomplished by him without the aid of any supplemental oxygen.
The Full Record One Man, Five Giants
The Andrzej Bargiel Nanga Parbat ski descent completes a sequence of descents that reads like a catalogue of the world’s most dangerous mountains:
| Mountain | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shishapangma | 2013 | Nepal |
| Manaslu | 2014 | Nepal |
| Broad Peak | 2015 | Pakistan |
| Gasherbrum II | 2015 | Pakistan |
| K2 | 2018 | Pakistan — widely considered the hardest |
| Gasherbrum I | 2018 | Pakistan |
| Mount Everest | 2025 | First ski descent without oxygen from summit |
| Nanga Parbat | 2026 | Completes all five Pakistan 8,000m peaks |
- Height of over 8,000 metres – the death zone, in which there is not enough oxygen for even simple physical exertion and clear thinking by any average person
- Without supplemental oxygen – the body of Bargiel worked only with the roughly 35 percent of oxygen normally found in the air at sea level
- Skiing equipment at height – handling and skiing with the skiing equipment during the ascent of the summit and then descending on a difficult slope where any mistake is fatal
- Without stopping at any point until reaching Base Camp
“June 30 – after several days of summit push – summit of Nanga Parbat reached and successfully skied from summit via the Messner Route. Skiing down 3,700 meters vertical descent to the Base Camp of Nanga Parbat.”
Andrzej Bargiel, Instagram
The Everesting Context Adds to the Achievement
Last year, Bargiel made history by being the first skier to descend from the top of Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, without any extra oxygen. This feat, one that could have been considered life-defining on its own, was the second-last piece before completing his 8,000m project in Pakistan.
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The Team that Pulled off the Feat
Bargiel had clearly mentioned the names of those whose backing was crucial in making this skied descent from the summit of Nanga Parbat possible.
“I am deeply thankful to be able to share this climb with Janusz Gob who climbed along with me and backed me all the way up there. Janusz, many thanks!”
Andrzej Bargiel
In addition, he thanked his team from gzela.eu and Pawlikowski Media for help regarding route and weather conditions, Darek Zauski, logistics coordinator, for field support, and Pasang Rinzee Sherpa. Seven Summit Treks planned and facilitated the entire event; their rope fixing team prepared the route before Bargiel started for the summit.
Nanga Parbat: What It Represents to Pakistan’s Climbing Tradition
The Ski Descent of Nanga Parbat by Andrzej Bargiel brings into focus not only the most famous and dangerous mountain in the history of climbing in Pakistan but also one of the greatest personal achievements in the history of mountaineering. The “Killer Mountain,” Nanga Parbat, boasts the highest death toll for an 8,000-metre peak in the world. For Bargiel to choose this mountain to accomplish his 8,000m challenge project in Pakistan, and to ski it without supplemental oxygen, is to write another part of his legendary story.
As far as Pakistan’s climbing and adventure tourism industry is concerned, this feat is a reaffirmation that the mountains in Pakistan continue to be the arena where some of the greatest alpine adventures take place – with the peaks of Gilgit-Baltistan continuing to attract some of the best mountaineers in the world.
Nayab Fatima is a media professional specializing in fact-based journalism, research, and analytical reporting on technology, telecom, aviation, and automobiles.
