TIBET, China – On October 15, 2023, Jim Morrison from Lake Tahoe achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first person to ski down the Hornbein Couloir on Mount Everest, standing at an elevation of 29,032 feet. This unprecedented feat is documented in an upcoming National Geographic film, showcasing Morrison’s remarkable journey and the challenges he faced.
Morrison’s ascent to the North Face of Everest was fraught with peril. The Hornbein Couloir, known for its steepness and narrow passages, presents extreme risks, including the potential for avalanches and fatal falls. With sections sloping between 45 and 60 degrees, the couloir is notorious among mountaineers. Tragically, it previously claimed the life of French snowboarder Marco Siffredi in 2002, whose body was never recovered.
The journey began at a staggering altitude, where oxygen levels are dangerously low. In an intense four hours and five minutes, Morrison skillfully navigated the couloir, linking it to the Japanese Couloir in a route known as The Super Direct, the most direct descent from the mountain. He completed his descent at the Rongbuk Glacier, where his base camp was established. Reflecting on the experience, Morrison described the 9,000 vertical feet as “steep, firm, unrelenting, beautiful.”
Morrison’s successful descent was the culmination of six years of dedication, including two previous failed attempts and extensive preparation, which involved nights spent in a hypoxic tent to simulate high-altitude conditions. The first attempt in 2023 was thwarted by permitting issues, while an avalanche during a 2024 attempt resulted in an injury to a team member. Despite undergoing knee surgery just months prior, Morrison remained undeterred in his quest.
He assembled a skilled team for this expedition, which included Adrian Ballinger, founder of the Tahoe-based mountaineering guide company, Alpenglow Expeditions. Ballinger, who has summited Everest without supplemental oxygen and has achieved several first ski descents of 8,000-meter peaks, played a crucial role in organizing the climb.
Morrison’s team also included Esteban “Topo” Mena, the youngest non-Sherpa to summit Everest without supplemental oxygen, who anchored the climbing team. The group began their ascent early on October 15, taking advantage of a brief weather window, and reached the summit by 12:45 p.m. They became the sixth team to ascend the Hornbein Couloir before Morrison commenced his historic descent around 14:00.
“It was a mix of survival skiing and actual shredding,” Morrison stated in an interview with National Geographic. He described the terrain as a blend of smooth areas and sections riddled with frozen waves, making the descent both physically and emotionally challenging. He shed tears during the journey, reflecting on the risks he had taken and the memory of his late partner, Hilaree Nelson. Nelson tragically passed away three years ago during a ski mountaineering expedition on Manaslu, an achievement they had long planned to pursue together.
Morrison honored her memory by spreading her ashes at the summit of Everest and dedicating the climb to her. He credited his resilience to teachings from Eckhart Tolle’s book, The Power of Now, which helped him focus on the present moment and overcome past tragedies. In 2011, Morrison lost his wife, Katie Morrison, and their two young children, Wyatt and Hannah, in a plane crash. Katie was actively involved in the Truckee Tahoe Airport community and served on various boards and committees.
The Everest expedition has created a buzz in the Tahoe community. In recognition of his achievement, the Tahoe Art Haus in Tahoe City will screen a double feature of films, including Trango and Lhotse, on November 16. These films highlight both Morrison and Nelson’s Lhotse expedition and Morrison’s subsequent expedition to the Great Trango Tower.
As Morrison returns from his monumental achievement, he reflects on the changes he has undergone. “Now we’re back on earth in physical form, but forever changed by what it took to send and return,” he remarked. Outside of mountaineering, he works as a general contractor, building high-end homes in the Tahoe Basin. The National Geographic documentary, produced by Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, is currently in production and will capture the essence of Morrison’s extraordinary accomplishment.
