Iconic ski mountaineers Hilaree Nelson (formerly Hilaree O’Neill) and Jim Morrison made huge news in the Himalayas over the weekend when they became the first humans to ski the 7,000-foot Lhotse Couloir. Lhotse is the fourth highest summit on the planet. The team was turned back by a significant snowstorm late last week but made the final push over the weekend.
“This morning, @hilareenelson and @jimwmorrison became the first humans in history to ski the Lhotse Couloir,” wrote the duo’s sponsor, The North Face. “After summiting Lhotse, the fourth highest mountain on earth, Hilaree and Jim made a 7,000-foot descent. We couldn’t be more proud. The crew is back at Camp 2 getting some much needed sleep after a 17-hour push to the summit and the ski descent. More photos to share when they’re back at base camp. A huge thank you to the team from the @khumbuclimbingcenter for being a part of this expedition.”
Nelson and Morrison were accompanied by cinematographers Dutch Simpson and Nick Kalisz. Kalisz is an absolute animal on a splitboard and was on a trip with The Inertia last spring in Lake Tahoe.
Nelson is a certified legend in the world of ski mountaineering. She grew up near Stevens Pass, Washington and cut her teeth with a stint in Chamonix. She’s made descents all over the world including off Cho Oyu and has summited Lhotse prior to this trip, as well as Everest (bagging both in a 24-hour period). In 2015, she was turned back from summiting and skiing Makalu. She’s the mother of two sons and currently lives in Telluride, Colo.
