Andrzej Bargiel Completes First Continuous Oxygen-Free Ski Descent of Nanga Parbat
Red Bull athlete Andrzej Bargiel has become the first person to ski Nanga Parbat (8,126m) continuously from summit to snowline without supplemental oxygen. The feat concludes a decade of high-altitude descents in Pakistan.
Polish Red Bull athlete Andrzej Bargiel has made history by completing the first continuous, oxygen-free ski descent from the summit of Nanga Parbat to the snowline. The record-setting run, finalized on July 3, 2026, covered an estimated 4,000 meters of vertical drop in a single, unbroken line.
Bargiel's achievement on Nanga Parbat marks the culmination of his ten-year project to ski from the summit to the snowline of all eight mountains over 8,000 meters in Pakistan. He is widely credited with completing the first such descents from each of these peaks, establishing a unique series of high-altitude skiing accomplishments.
Previous attempts by other skiers have faced significant challenges, often resulting in aborted runs due to technical difficulties or hazardous conditions. Bargiel's successful descent relied on his exceptional skill, physical endurance, and an acute understanding of the mountain environment, aided by the considerable snowpack on the 8,126-meter peak that allowed for a continuous route.
This latest accomplishment on Nanga Parbat sets a new benchmark for mountaineering and extreme skiing, highlighting the growing pursuit of human performance limits in some of the planet's most demanding terrains.