American Skier Conquers Mount Everest's Most Dangerous Slope
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On October 15, 2025, American mountaineer Jim Morrison became the first person to ski down Mount Everest’s Hornbein Couloir. The deep, narrow chute begins at roughly 26,000 feet (8,000 m) on the mountain’s north face, west of the summit. Most of it is extremely steep, with slopes that reach about 60 degrees near the top. Morrison’s party was only the sixth expedition to climb that route and the first successful one since 1991.
The 50-year-old described the descent as a mix of extreme skiing and mountaineering. He had to constantly adapt to snow, ice, and treacherous terrain. At one point, Morrison had to remove his skis and rappel down 650 feet (198 m) through a rocky part of the chute where there was no snow. After that, he continued to ski down, taking a short break at Camp 3 — a resting point along the north face. He then skied the rest of the way to Camp 1, which is closer to the base of the mountain.
Morrison dedicated the historic run to his late wife Hilaree Nelson. She died in 2022 while skiing on Nepal's Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest mountain. The couple had always dreamed of skiing the Hornbein Couloir together.
"I’d risked so much, but I was alive," he told National Geographic. "It felt like a tribute to Hilaree — something she’d be proud of. I really felt her with me, cheering me on."
This was Morrison’s third attempt at the Hornbein Couloir. His previous tries in 2023 and 2024 had both failed. In 2025, he spent over six weeks on Everest, gradually getting used to the high altitude and extreme weather. Once ready, Morrison and his team of eleven mountaineers, including guides and a documentary film crew, made their way up to Camp 4. This is the final camp on Everest's north side. From here, the climbers faced the most dangerous slopes on the route, so they waited for clear weather. The group set off at 6:00 am on October 15 and reached the summit around midday.
Shortly after, the team members began preparing for the challenging climb down to Camp 4. Morrison, meanwhile, strapped on his skis for his history-making descent. His incredible feat will be featured in an upcoming National Geographic documentary.
Resources: Nationalgeographic.com, Smithsonianmag.com
