National Geographic Documents Athlete Jim Morrison’s Unprecedented, Historic Ski Descent on North Face of Mount Everest on October 15, 2025

Academy Award®-Winning ‘Free Solo’ Directors Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin Captured Morrison’s Grueling Physical and Emotional Journey to a History-Making First, Overcoming Tragedy and Breaking Records To Complete the Most Prestigious, Previously Unclaimed First Descent in Ski Mountaineering for Forthcoming Feature Documentary, EVEREST NORTH (Working Title)

The 12 Mount Everest Summiters Included:
Jim Morrison
Jimmy Chin
Erich Roepke
Pemba Sharwa Sherpa
Esteban ‘Topo’ Mena
Carla Perez
Roberto ‘Tico’ Morales
Pur Bahadur ‘Yukta’ Gurung
Ngima Tenjing Sherpa
Pemba Gelje Sherpa
Tenging Gyaljen Sherpa
Pasang Sona Sherpa

Film Produced by Vasarhelyi and Chin’s Little Monster Films, Alongside Producers Shannon Dill, Janet Yang, Bob Eisenhardt, and Anna Barnes

After climbing to the tallest point on Earth, it only took 4 hours and 5 minutes for world-renowned ski mountaineer Jim Morrison to enter the history books as the first person ever to successfully ski down the Hornbein Couloir on the direct north face of Mount Everest. Long considered the most prestigious unclaimed first descent in ski mountaineering, it was a shared dream of Morrison and his late partner, Hilaree Nelson, to whom he dedicated the record-breaking achievement. The full story can be read at NatGeo.com.

The descent saw Morrison cover 2,760 meters (9,055 feet) as he skied down from the stratosphere, arriving at Camp One (6088 meters / 19,974 feet) @ 7:45PM China Standard time (CST) on October 15, 2025. Though previous attempts have been made, no one has ever successfully skied down Mount Everest’s imposing and challenging Hornbein Couloir on the direct north face – until now.

National Geographic Documentary Films once again teams with Oscar® and BAFTA Award-winning directors of “Free Solo,” Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, to film the exhilarating and heartbreaking odyssey for the upcoming documentary EVEREST NORTH (working title). Among those to summit Everest with Morrison were Jim’s friend and experienced mountaineer Jimmy Chin, along with Erich Roepke, Pemba Sharwa Sherpa, Esteban ‘Topo’ Mena, Carla Perez, Roberto ‘Tico’ Morales, Pur Bahadur ‘Yukta’ Gurung, Ngima Tenjing Sherpa, Pemba Gelje Sherpa, Tenging Gyaljen Sherpa, and Pasang Sona Sherpa. After summiting, Morrison was the only member of the team to complete the ski descent. The remaining summiters subsequently safely climbed down the mountain, joining Jim late in the evening (CST) to celebrate the historic achievement.

Embarking from China’s north base camp, the expedition followed the central Rongbuk Glacier to the base of Everest’s imposing north face, then climbed the direct 2743-meter (9,000 foot) wall into the upper reaches of the mountain, where the Hornbein Couloir cuts through its steep northern aspect, topping out @ 8,848 meters (29,000 feet). One of the most formidable faces in the world, the Hornbein Couloir has been climbed only a handful of times since legendary American mountaineer Thomas Hornbein and his partner first ascended it in 1963; the last successful climb was made in 1991.

“Standing on the north face of Everest, finishing this climb was overwhelming and deeply personal. It’s the culmination of years of work and an extraordinary team effort. Climbing the direct north face and skiing what Hilaree and I believed to be the world’s greatest ski run was a dream we chased together. Hilaree’s spirit and energy was a galvanizing force for me and this incredible team. I hope what we accomplished honors her and the love for these mountains we shared,” said Morrison from the slopes of Everest.

No stranger to challenging and imposing mountain faces, Jim Morrison and his late partner, Hilaree Nelson, became the first to ski from the 8,516-meter (27,940-foot) summit of Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest mountain, in 2018. Hilaree, a National Geographic Explorer and National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, died tragically in 2022 on Nepal’s Manaslu, after she and Jim summited together. This Everest expedition carries forward the vision and passion they shared to achieve the pinnacle of ski mountaineering – a full descent of the direct north face of the world’s tallest mountain.

More than a story about the physical journey up and down the Himalayan mountain, EVEREST NORTH (working title) will examine Morrison’s obsessions, determination, and heartbreak as he pushes himself to the limit on the planet’s tallest mountain above sea level, where the stakes have never been higher. Before setting foot on Everest, he had to not only prepare for the risks and difficulties present at an altitude of 8,848 meters (29,000 feet), but also face his loss and heartbreak head-on. Combining stunning visuals with exceptional storytelling, Vasarhelyi and Chin will craft an immersive feature documentary on the longest, purest ski descent down the most coveted line in the world. The film is produced by Academy Award®-winner Shannon Dill, who also served as a key creative and logistical producer on the ground for the EVEREST NORTH (working title) expedition.

“We are so proud to support Jim’s historic achievement and are awed by his unwavering dedication to pursuing this seemingly impossible feat. This film is both a tribute to Jim’s late partner, Hilaree Nelson, and a testament to the power and beauty of exploration,” said Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Documentary Films for National Geographic. “Starting with Oscar and BAFTA winner ‘Free Solo,’ this is Nat Geo Doc Films’ seventh film in partnership with Chai and Jimmy – the world’s premiere chroniclers of people who push the limits of human potential – and we are once again blown away by their artistry.”

“We are truly grateful to be able to climb and film on such a rarely visited and stunning side of Everest: the north face. The film will be a truly epic and cinematic experience, chronicling the first ski descent of the most coveted and iconic ski mountaineering line in the world and what it took to get here. We will share an extraordinary story about the power of the human spirit and hopefully expand audiences’ perception of the human experience,” said Chin.

Added Vasarhelyi: “Our film – which has been a passion project for so many over the past six years – is really a story of love and humanity and what defines us. Jim’s achievement is such an incredible moment, but the heart of the story we tell will show the years of dedication and sacrifice it took for him to make it to the top of the mountain.”

EVEREST NORTH (working title) will tell the story of the most challenging ski mountaineering feat in history. It is currently in production with the Academy and BAFTA Award-winning directors of “Free Solo” and the BAFTA-nominated “The Rescue,” as well as the Emmy® -winning “Endurance,” and National Geographic Documentary Films’ recently released “Lost in the Jungle” and the forthcoming “Love+War,” Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin – who previously skied the south face of Mount Everest in 2006 and completed an Antarctic expedition with Morrison and Nelson in early 2020 – at the helm. Their Little Monsters Films banner produces with producers Shannon Dill, Janet Yang, Bob Eisenhardt, Anna Barnes, and Chinese co-production partner Beijing Shadow Times, in association with and with funding from The North Face. Executive Producers include Nina and David Fialkow, Sam Frohman, Andy and Elizabeth Reiner. The film will be available exclusively in theaters before debuting on National Geographic and Disney+. A release date is yet to be announced.

Since its inception in 2017, National Geographic Documentary Films has been lauded around the world for telling timely, gripping and globally relevant stories. It released the Academy, BAFTA and seven-time Emmy Award-winning film “Free Solo,” as well as Academy Award-nominated films “Sugarcane,” “Bobi Wine: The People’s President,” “Fire of Love” and “The Cave.” In recent years, the film banner’s slate has also included the duPont-Columbia Award and two-time Sundance Award winner “The Territory,” BAFTA nominees “The Rescue” and “Becoming Cousteau,” Emmy Award winners “The First Wave,” “LA 92” and “Jane,” and many other critically acclaimed features and shorts.

ABOUT JIM MORRISON

In October 2018, Jim Morrison, alongside his climbing and life partner Hilaree Nelson, became the first to ski from the 27,940-foot summit of Lhotse, the fourth-highest mountain in the world. Their 7,000-vertical-foot ski line down the Lhotse Couloir is considered one of the most aesthetic and technically demanding descents among the world’s tallest peaks.

In May 2018, Morrison summited Cho Oyu and Mount Everest, skiing a combined 11,000 vertical feet across both mountains, including a 7,000-foot line down Cho Oyu.

In May 2024, Morrison, along with Chantel Astorga, completed a historic ski descent of the north face of Mount Everest, via the Japanese and Hornbein Couloirs, a feat that pushed the limits of modern ski mountaineering.

Morrison is recognized as one of the leading ski mountaineers of his generation – a pilot, North Face athlete, and storyteller whose pursuits blend skill, creativity, and a deep respect for the mountains. His expeditions are driven by an enduring curiosity about what lies beyond perceived limits and a belief in the transformative power of challenge, loss, and wild places.

ABOUT CHAI VASARHELYI

Chai Vasarhelyi is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker known for her critically acclaimed documentaries, including “Free Solo,” which earned an Oscar, a BAFTA and seven Emmys. She co-directed “The Rescue,” “Return to Space,” and “Meru” and has received honors from Sundance, BAFTA, DGA and Peabody Awards. In 2023, she directed her first scripted feature, “Nyad,” earning Oscar nominations for both lead actors. Her additional upcoming 2025 release includes National Geographic Documentary Films’ “Love+War.” Vasarhelyi is a National Geographic Explorer.

ABOUT JIMMY CHIN

Jimmy Chin is an Academy Award-winning filmmaker, National Geographic photographer and elite climber who has led and documented groundbreaking expeditions for over two decades. He won an Oscar and BAFTA for co-directing “Free Solo,” which also earned seven Emmys, and later co-directed the Netflix scripted feature “Nyad,” earning Oscar nominations for its lead actors. His upcoming 2025 release includes National Geographic Documentary Films’ “Love+War.” His additional work includes “The Rescue,” “Meru,” and the National Geographic series “Edge of the Unknown with Jimmy Chin.” Chin is a National Geographic Explorer.