KATHMANDU: Renowned American ski mountaineer Jim Morrison is all set to make a ski descent from the top of Mt Everest this autumn paying tribute to Hilaree Nelson, who died while attempting to ski down from the summit of Mt Manaslu in 2022.
Being part of the multi-million dollar Everest Ski Project, Morrison along with academy award-winning film director Jimmy Chin and cinematographer Mark Fisher will be attempting to ski down from the Hornbein Couloir route on Mt Everest, expedition organizers have confirmed.
A team of Sherpa climbers including Mingma David Sherpa, co-owner of Elite Exped/Sherpa Extremes Pvt Ltd, has already reached the base camp in Tibet to provide ground support while a few Chinese members also plan to join the guiding team. "We are working very hard to prepare a ground for the safe ski descent."
Last year, the Everest Ski Project, architected by top American climbers gathered dust after China refused to issue a ski as well as entry permit to the team comprising expedition leader Conrad Anker and production head Jimmy Chin. "Jimmy Chin has lobbied a lot with Chinese authorities to get the Tibet entry permit this season," sources said, Conrad, however, couldn't make it to Tibet due to lack of visa.
Jimmy Chin is scheduled to film the ski descent under the million-dollar project funded by the National Geographic Society and the North Face. "ABC is set up and the fixing team will soon head for the Hornbein Couloir route to fix the Camp I," sources said. The Couloir was named after a member of the 1963 US Everest Expedition, Thomas Hornbein.
It's a project reportedly designed by Jim Morrison in memory of his partner Hilaree Nelson. Extreme American ski mountaineer Hilaree had been found dead after attempting to ski down from the summit of Mt Manaslu in 2022. North Face athlete Hilaree and partner Jim had made the first ski descent of Lhotse, the fourth tallest mountain in the world, in 2021.
"Elite Exped owner Nirmal 'Nims' Purja will not be joining the North Face team on Everest this season as he faced accusations of flouting mountaineering and aviation rules in Nepal," sources said, Nims, who was also accused of sexual assault and harassment by at least two women, would only attempt to climb Shishpangma.
