Morrison Skis Down Everest's North Face After Tragedy

Ski mountaineer Jim Morrison completed the first-ever descent of Mount Everest's north face on October 15, 2025. The historic run took four hours and five minutes. It marked the final step of a project Morrison and his late partner, Hilaree Nelson, conceived years ago. The film documenting the effort, Everest: The Other Side, hit theaters on October 30.

Morrison and Nelson met in 2015 during an expedition to Makalu. They became a couple in 2017 and planned to climb the mountain's north side and ski down. No human had accomplished that feat before. The plan required navigating a 9,000-foot face, one of the most difficult routes on Earth. Morrison and Nelson intended to attempt the climb together, but tragedy intervened before they began.

On September 26, 2022, an avalanche on Mount Manaslu in Nepal killed Nelson. The incident was captured on camera by filmmakers Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin. The loss forced the team to rethink their approach. Chin, a longtime friend and experienced climber, stepped in as Morrison's new partner. Vasarhelyi noted that her professional interest in the film conflicted with her personal responsibilities as a friend and spouse to Chin at the time. The couple divorced in 2025.

The first expedition attempt took place in 2024. The team established an advanced basecamp at 18,100 feet. They planned to start the climb at 20,000 feet and ascend the 9,000-foot face. However, the journey was cut short when team member Yukta Gurung broke his leg. Poor weather conditions also contributed to the decision to stop. Morrison initially felt they were walking away for good. Chin disagreed, telling Morrison he would return.

Morrison, Chin, and a team of 12 climbers returned to Everest in September 2025. The second expedition lasted seven weeks without major injuries or bad weather. The team reached the summit at 2 p.m. on October 15. Morrison spent 45 minutes at the peak. He spread some of Nelson's ashes there. He then prepared his skis, a process that took longer than usual due to the extreme altitude. Every buckle required a break to catch his breath.

Morrison began his descent down the north face. He described the run as the hardest and most dramatic of his life. The descent was not continuous skiing. It involved stopping, hiking, and turning. As he moved lower, the air became richer in oxygen, helping him recover from fatigue. He reached safety after more than four hours. He described the moment as a tidal wave of emotions. He cried and yelled at the sky while alone on the glacier.

Morrison credited the success to the team of 11 other climbers who reached the summit with him. The group included Carla Perez, Esteban Mena Yanez, Pasang Sona Sherpa, Pemba Sherpa, Roberto Morales, Erich Reopke, Nigma Tenjing Sherpa, Pemba Gelje Sherpa, Pur Bahadur Gurung, and Tenging Gyaljen Sherpa. He also acknowledged the support of those in base camp and around the world. Morrison said he felt the accomplishment was a tremendous team effort. He viewed the final descent as a way to honor Nelson's legacy.