Historic Everest Ski Descent and Manaslu Records

The autumn 2025 Himalayan season is shaping up to be one of the most remarkable in recent years, with climbers not only breaking records but also pushing the boundaries of what is possible in high-altitude mountaineering. Both Everest and Manaslu have taken center stage, producing achievements that will be remembered for decades.

Majestic Mount Everest through Vibrant Prayer Flags

Everest – A Ski Descent for the History Books

On September 22, Polish ski mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel (37) made history by completing the first full ski descent from Everest’s summit without supplemental oxygen.Bargiel was supported by a 16-member Sherpa team from Seven Summits Treks. He left the summit on skis, descended to Camp 2 where he spent the night, and the following day continued skiing all the way down to Base Camp.

This achievement adds to Bargiel’s already impressive list of high-altitude ski descents: Shishapangma (2013), Manaslu (2014), Broad Peak (2015), Gasherbrum II (2015), K2 (2018), and Gasherbrum I (2018). In 2023, he also became the first skier to descend all four of the Karakoram’s 8,000-meter giants.

Meanwhile, Tyler Andrews (35) of the U.S. made his fifth overall attempt to set a no-oxygen speed record on Everest. On his second try this autumn, he reached Camp 4 but turned back due to deep snow, later retreating to Camp 2.

Manaslu – A Wave of Records and Summits

If Everest brought history, Manaslu (8,163 m) brought numbers. Nepal issued a record 371 foreign climber permits for the mountain this season, surpassing last year’s total of 308. Across all of Nepal’s 8,000ers this autumn, there were 457 climbers from 47 teams – 347 men and 110 women. By September 25, Manaslu had already seen 357 summits, including 170 foreign climbers and 187 Sherpas. That makes it, once again, the busiest Himalayan peak of the autumn season.

Teams and Sherpa Support

7 Summits Club -14 members

8K Expeditions – 31 members, 29 Sherpas

14 Peaks – 14 members, 20 Sherpas

Alpine Ascents International – 4 members, 6 Sherpas

Ascent Himalaya – 1 member, 1 Sherpa

Dreamers Destination – 1 member, 3 Sherpas

Elete Expeditions – 12 members, 14 Sherpas

Expedition Himalaya – 1 member, 1 Sherpa

Imagine Nepal – 15 members, 17 Sherpas

Kaitu Expeditions – 8 members, 20 Sherpas

Makalu Extreme – 7 members, 7 Sherpas (reported)

Pioneer Adventures -9 members, 11 Sherpas

Satori Adventures – 7 members, 9 Sherpas

Seven Summits Treks -47 members, 49 Sherpas

Other teams, including Asian Trekking, Climbing the Seven Summits, Summit Climb, and a second Elete Expeditions group, were also on their summit pushes.

Manaslu’s Notable Records

  • Carlos Soria Fontán (86, Spain) – summited Manaslu, 50 years after his first attempt, becoming the oldest person reported to summit an 8,000er. This breaks the previous record set by Yuichiro Miura (80) on Everest in 2013.

  • Anya Kushnir (16, Ukraine) – became the youngest climber to reach Manaslu’s summit this season.

  • Kristin Harila (Norway) and Tenjen “Lama” Sherpa (Nepal) – climbed Manaslu in just over 12 hours from Base Camp, adding another speed ascent to their impressive résumés.

  • He Jing (37, China) – reportedly became the first Chinese woman to summit all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks without supplemental oxygen.

  • Artem Gurshtein (Russia) – claimed a record-fast expedition, reaching Manaslu’s summit in 2 days and 19 hours from arriving in Nepal, and back out of Base Camp in under 4 days total.

  • Dima Pilshchikov -highlighted by 7 Summits Club for reportedly flying into Kathmandu on September 20 and summiting Manaslu without acclimatization. The team noted he had undergone xenon therapy in Moscow beforehand.

In addition, a rope-fixing Sherpa team reached Manaslu’s summit on September 20, opening the route for the wave of climbers that followed.

Other Peaks This Season

  • Cho Oyu: Expeditions from Madison Mountaineering and Adventure Consultants have arrived at Base Camp or Advanced Base Camp.

  • Makalu: Climbers Denis Aleksenko (Russia) and Artem Tsentsevitsky (Belarus) reported from Base Camp.

  • Dhaulagiri: On September 26, a four-Sherpa team from 14 Peaks reached the summit. Hungarian climbers David Klein and Marci Nagy are on the mountain independently, while 8K Expeditions is running a commercial team.
  • Ama Dablam: Several expeditions are underway.

  • Shishapangma: Remains closed this season.

A Defining Autumn Season

The autumn of 2025 is proving to be more than just another season in the Himalaya. It is becoming a defining period in modern mountaineering, marked by groundbreaking firsts and headline-making records. Bargiel’s Everest ski descent without oxygen has set a new standard in what is possible at extreme altitude, while Manaslu’s wave of records – from the youngest to the fastest – reflects the evolving dynamics of high-altitude climbing, where logistics, training, and Sherpa expertise are opening new opportunities for climbers worldwide.

As the season continues, attention will remain on both Everest and Manaslu to see if even more history will be written before the autumn weather window closes.

Anano Atabegashvili

About the Author

Anano Atabegashvili is a journalist with over 5 years of experience in broadcasting and digital media. Passionate about writing and mountains, she brings a unique voice to high-altitude storytelling. As the author of the Summiters Club blog, Anano offers sharp, engaging coverage of climbs, challenges, and the evolving world of alpinism.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *