First Ski Descent of Everest’s Hornbein Couloir

American climber Jim Morrison became the first to ski Everest’s daunting Hornbein Couloir on Oct. 15, descending the narrow, unrelenting gully from just over 1,100 feet below the summit. Partnering with filmmaker-mountaineer Jimmy Chin, the five-year project took three attempts and a roughly one-day annual window, ending with a four-hour, 9,000-foot descent that demanded zero mistakes. After more than six weeks on the mountain, Morrison, 50, finished at 7:45 p.m. local time, saying he felt elated and emotional. A National Geographic documentary is in production; both men described leveraging fear to guide decisions.

Reviewed by JQJO team

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