Details, Video of Bargiel's Ski Descent of Nanga Parbat

Andrzej Bargiel has shared the details about his recent ski descent of Nanga Parbat via the Messner route.

Bargiel and his sponsor, Red Bull, confirmed he summited Nanga Parbat on June 30 with Janusz Golab, who supported Bargiel during the long summit push. They did not pitch a Camp 4, so the climbers started from Camp 3 at around 6,850m.

An image of the Diamir side of Nanga Parbat, with the Messner route marked in red.

The Messner route on the Diamir side of Nanga Parbat, marked by Gorskie Mapy.

Once on top, Bargiel stepped into his skis and made a full descent along the Messner route of the Diamir side. “I…skied over 3,700 vertical meters,” Bargiel confirmed. The feat included traversing past a serac barrier that had foiled previous ski descent attempts.

“He completed the ski descent at 3pm on June 30, below Camp I (4,400m), marking the end of continuous skiable snow and the first fully continuous ski line recorded on Nanga Parbat,” Red Bull wrote in a press release.

Bargiel on skis on a thin layer of old snow at a steep slope.

Bargiel at the end of the snow-covered terrain, where his descent ended. Photo: Bartlomliej Pawlikowski

Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein of France skied down the peak’s Rupal Face last year, but the Schell route they chose is far from a direct line. The climbers had to traverse part of the mountain, endure sections of ups and downs, and face difficulties that forced them to spend three nights on the mountain before making it down to Base Camp.

Bargiel has also posted a drone video of the descent:

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Diamir side update

Bargiel and Golav reached the summit of Nanga Parbat the same day that Sherpa rope fixers opened the route to the summit.

Besides Bargiel, only Gian Luca Cavalli of Italy, outfitted by Karakoram Tours, summited without oxygen or personal Sherpa support. Next, Cavalli will try K2 in the same style. Cavalli attempted a new variation route on Annapurna last year, but he had to abort the attempt after a falling chunk of ice injured his hand.

One day after Bargiel, a second team of four clients (one from Canada and three from Ukraine) plus two Nepalese and two Pakistani supporters with 8K Expeditions summited as well.

There are still climbers on the mountain’s Diamir side: Anwar Syed of Lela Peak Expeditions told ExplorersWeb that a Japanese team (4 climbers and 4 Sherpa guides) is considering its options since the weather is not favorable next week. Another group of international climbers in Camp 2 might hurry to the summit before the weather worsens.

On the southern, Rupal side, Czech climbers Marek Holecek and Tomas Petrcek will attempt a new alpine-style route.

Eight 8,000’ers skied, no O2

Bargiel has now climbed and skied all five of Pakistan’s 8,000m peaks, including the first and only ski descent of K2 ever. In addition, Bargiel has skied down several other high peaks in Pakistan, such as Leila Peak, and three other 8,000’ers: Shisha Pangma in Tibet and Manaslu and Everest in Nepal. OnEverest, he completed the first complete ski descent of the mountain without supplemental oxygen.