Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has achieved what many considered impossible: climbing Mount Everest and skiing from summit to Base Camp without supplemental oxygen. The 37-year-old completed the historic feat on September 22-23, 2025, with critical assistance from a drone piloted by his brother through the mountain’s most dangerous section.After spending nearly 16 hours in Everest’s notorious “death zone” above 26,247 feet (8,000m), Bargiel clipped into his skis at the 29,032-foot (8,849m) summit and began his descent via the South Col Route. Red Bull confirmed he became the first person in history to complete both the ascent and complete ski descent of Earth’s highest mountain without bottled oxygen.

The Deadly Descent Split Into Two Days

Bargiel reached the summit at approximately 3:17 PM local time on September 22 after departing Camp IV at 11:24 PM the previous night. Heavy fresh snowfall had made trail-breaking difficult, extending his time in the death zone where climbers receive only about one-third of the oxygen available at sea level.

“The ascent was difficult because other expeditions are closed at this time of year,” Bargiel explained to Red Bull. “Much more work is required and the conditions are much more difficult. You have to be well prepared to be able to function for 16 hours above 8,000m.”

He skied through technical sections including the Hillary Step, South Summit, and the Balcony before reaching Camp II at 8:30 PM. With darkness making further navigation too dangerous, he rested overnight before tackling the most treacherous section.

Brother’s Drone Provides Life-Saving Guidance Through Khumbu Icefall

On the morning of September 23, Bargiel resumed his descent at 7:00 AM, facing the Khumbu Icefall—a constantly shifting labyrinth of crevasses and towering ice seracs that has claimed nearly 50 lives since 1953. This section presented the greatest challenge of the entire descent.

His brother Bartek Bargiel piloted a drone from a safe vantage point, providing aerial perspective to help Andrzej navigate the deadly maze without fixed ropes or safety lines. According to ExplorersWeb, the drone guidance proved crucial as Bargiel threaded through “a labyrinth of shifting ice and deep crevasses without ropes or fixed lines.”

He reached Everest Base Camp at 8:45 AM local time, completing a total descent of 5.5 miles (8.9 km) and 8,215 vertical feet (2,504m)—all without supplemental oxygen.

Third Attempt Success After Years of Setbacks

This achievement came after two previous failed attempts. In 2019, a massive serac collapse threatened the Khumbu Icefall route, forcing Bargiel to retreat. His 2022 attempt ended at the South Col due to extreme winds.

“Skiing down Everest without oxygen was a dream that had been growing inside me for years,” Bargiel said. “I knew that the difficult autumn conditions and plotting the descent line through the Khumbu Glacier would be the greatest challenge I could ever face.”

According to CNN, expedition doctor Patrycja Jonetzko emphasized the physiological extremes involved:

“If you look at human physiology with such a small amount of oxygen in the air, what Andrzej has achieved goes beyond human capabilities. At this altitude, without supplemental oxygen, the body has to fight for every single step.”

READ MORE: DJI Mavic 3 Pro Drone Conquers Mount Everest in Groundbreaking Flight

Historic Achievement Builds On Legendary Career

While others have skied portions of Everest, Bargiel’s complete summit-to-Base Camp descent without oxygen stands alone. Slovenian Davorin Karnicar completed a full ski descent in 2000 but used supplemental oxygen. German mountaineer Hans Kammerlander skied from near the summit in 1996 without oxygen but had to remove his skis in some sections.

Bargiel already held another extraordinary record: in 2018, he became the first and only person to ski down K2, the world’s second-highest mountain, also without supplemental oxygen. He’s now the only mountaineer in history to ski from both Everest and K2, plus all 26,247-foot (8,000m) peaks in the Karakoram range—all without bottled oxygen.

More than 6,000 people have summited Everest, but fewer than 200 have done so without supplemental oxygen—less than 3% of all summiteers. To then ski back down in those conditions represents a new benchmark in human endurance and extreme skiing.

Massive Support Team Made Record Possible

The expedition required extensive logistics, including over a dozen Sherpa climbers from Seven Summit Treks, expedition leader Tomasz Gaj, doctor Patrycja Jonetzko, physiotherapist Piotr Sadowski, safety manager Jan Gąsienica-Roj, camera operators Dariusz Załuski and Maciej Sulima, drone operator Bartek Bargiel, and photographer Bartek Pawlikowski.

“This was extremely challenging, and no one had done it before,” Chhang Dawa Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP. Upon reaching Base Camp, Bargiel was greeted with a khada, a traditional Buddhist scarf symbolizing respect and good wishes in Nepal.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk celebrated the accomplishment, posting: “Sky is the limit? Not for Poles! Andrzej Bargiel has just skied down Mount Everest.”

READ MORE: DJI Mavic 3 flies over the top of Mount Everest at an altitude of 30,292 feet

DroneXL’s Take

Bargiel’s achievement represents a fascinating convergence of human endurance and drone technology at the absolute limits of what’s possible. While his physical feat is extraordinary, the tactical use of drone guidance through the Khumbu Icefall showcases how unmanned aircraft are revolutionizing high-altitude mountaineering.

We’ve been tracking this evolution closely at DroneXL. Just this past April, we reported on how ~DJI FlyCart 30 cargo drones transformed Everest expeditions~, delivering supplies to Sherpa Icefall Doctors and dramatically reducing the risk of multiple dangerous crossings through the same deadly terrain Bargiel skied. In July, we covered how ~these same drones are tackling Everest’s massive waste problem~, flying trash down from high camps in 12 minutes versus the six-to-eight-hour trek that endangered Sherpas dozens of times per season.

But Bargiel’s use case is different—this wasn’t cargo delivery or waste removal, but active navigation guidance through constantly shifting ice where a single wrong turn means death. His brother Bartek’s drone provided the aerial perspective that would have been impossible to achieve any other way, essentially giving Andrzej “eyes in the sky” to spot crevasses and choose the safest route in real-time.

This aligns with the broader trend we’ve documented in mountain rescue operations. From ~AI-powered drones finding missing hikers in the Italian Alps~ to ~thermal-equipped drones guiding rescuers in Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains~, unmanned aircraft are proving invaluable where human sight lines are limited and risks are extreme.

The irony isn’t lost on us: Bargiel pushed human performance to its absolute physiological limits—functioning for 16 hours where the human body literally can’t survive long-term—while simultaneously depending on technology to safely complete the descent. It’s a reminder that “doing it without oxygen” doesn’t mean doing it without innovation. The best mountaineers are now those who combine traditional skills with modern tools.

What particularly impresses us is the operational challenge of flying a drone at extreme altitude in unpredictable mountain winds. The Khumbu Icefall sits at around 17,598 to 19,685 feet (5,486 to 6,000m), where temperatures range from 5°F to 41°F (-15°C to 5°C) and winds can suddenly gust to dangerous levels. Maintaining reliable video transmission and control in those conditions requires serious piloting skill—Bartek Bargiel deserves recognition alongside his brother for that technical achievement.

As drones become more capable at altitude and in harsh conditions, we expect to see more groundbreaking mountaineering achievements that simply wouldn’t be possible otherwise. This won’t replace traditional climbing ethics, but it will redefine what “possible” means in the high mountains.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.