Andrzej Bargiel leaves tomorrow for Pakistan to tackle the only 8,000m peak in that country that he has not yet skied down: Nanga Parbat.
Expert alpinists Janusz Golab and Dariusz Zaluski will accompany the Polish skier, along with a film crew comprising photographer Bartek Pawlikowski, high-altitude camera operator Pasang Rinzee Sherpa, and drone pilot Jakub Gzela.
Diamir Side
Bargiel’s press team told ExplorersWeb that they will most likely focus on the Diamir Face, where Bargiel has several ski descent options.
“During the expedition, Andrzej [Bargiel] will consider a number of possible variants on the face,” they said. The final decision will depend on conditions, which will be assessed once they are in Base Camp.
Nanga Parbat from its Diamir side. Photo: Maciej Abramowicz
The Kinshoffer route, considered the normal route on Nanga Parbat, mounts the Diamir Side of the mountain. Bargiel will climb without supplementary oxygen, as he has always done.
A complete descent
The expedition press release notes that all previous skiers on Nanga Parbat encountered unskiable dry conditions on some sections, suggesting that Bargiel is hoping for a complete, nonstop descent.
Last year, French couple Tiphaine Duperier and Boris Langenstein climbed and skied down the Schell route on Nanga Parbat. It was the first ski descent of the Rupal Face. However, they had to step out of their skis on some short sections to downclimb and rappel. They also needed three days for the descent, due to difficult conditions.
Left to right, Tiphaine Duperier, Boris Langenstein, and David Goettler on the summit of Nanga Parbat. Photo: David Goettler
Earlier, in 2019, Duperier and Langenstein had skied down Nanga Parbat from the normal route on the Diamir Side, but a lack of snow on the uppermost 50m foiled their chance at a complete descent. That was also the case during the first ski descent of Nanga Parbat in 1990 by Hans Kammerlander. The upper 50m lacked snow for him too, and he had to downclimb it on foot.
Luis Stitzinger of Germany also attempted the feat, but turned around shortly below the summit and skied down from 7,900-8,000m via a new line, also on the Diamir Face.
The specialist
One of the best high-altitude skiers in history, Bargiel first came to prominence when he achieved the first complete ski descent of K2 in 2018. In 2015, he also skied Broad Peak, and after K2, he did the same on both Gasherbrums. That left only Nanga Parbat to finish his Pakistan 8,000m resumé.
Bargiel has also skied Tibet’s Shisha Pangma in 2013 and Nepal’s Manaslu in 2014. His latest 8,000m feat was the first complete no-oxygen ski descent of Everest last fall. Nanga Parbat would mark the 8th 8,000m peak Bargiel has skied.
However, fellow Pole Bartek Ziemski one-upped Bargiel this spring when he repeated the Everest feat, without oxygen but also non-stop. without any support. Ziemski also skied Lhotse the week before, after climbing it with no fixed ropes from Camp 4.
Nanga Parbat. Photo: Maciej Abramowicz
