Andrzej Bargiel is a world-renowned Polish ski mountaineer, climber and adventurer celebrated for pushing the boundaries of extreme sports for more than a decade. Known for his groundbreaking high-altitude ski descents, he has become one of the most innovative and fearless figures in modern mountaineering. Raised in the mountainous terrains of Poland, he developed a love for the outdoors early on, spending his childhood riding horses, mountain biking and competing in local events. At nine years old, he traded a pair of table tennis paddles for his first skis, an exchange he considered the deal of his life, and soon discovered a deep pull back to the mountains.
His competitive journey began with extraordinary success. Between 2005 and 2011, Andrzej dominated national and international ski mountaineering competitions, winning major events such as the Połonin Cup, the Polish Championships and World Cup junior podiums. He also achieved significant milestones in mountain running and climbing, including summiting Mount Kilimanjaro at only seventeen. By the end of 2011, after establishing himself as one of the top young competitors in Europe, he shifted his focus towards high-altitude expeditions and ambitious long-distance mountain pursuits.
From 2012 onwards, Andrzej built a legendary career defined by world firsts and record-breaking achievements. In 2013 he launched the Hic Sunt Leones project, demonstrating the possibilities of skiing on the world’s highest peaks. He became the first Pole to ski down Shishapangma from summit to base, followed by a record-breaking ascent and descent of Manaslu in 2014. His achievements reached new heights in 2015 when he became the first person in history to ski from the summit of Broad Peak to base camp. The Snow Leopard Challenge followed in 2016, completed in less than thirty days, breaking the previous record by twelve days. His most iconic success came in 2018 when he became the first person ever to ski from the summit of K2 to base camp, an accomplishment that earned him global recognition.
In recent years, Andrzej has continued to expand the limits of ski mountaineering. He skied from Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II in 2023, becoming the first person to ski all four major Karakoram eight-thousanders. His exploratory expeditions have taken him across the Himalayas and into the Karakoram, where he has completed technically demanding first descents, climbed virgin peaks and contributed significantly to the evolution of modern ski mountaineering. A passionate advocate for environmental conservation and sustainable tourism, he uses his platform to protect natural landscapes and inspire future generations to explore the mountains responsibly.
