National Geographic Developing “Everest North” Documentary
Disney has announced details on a brand new documentary that is currently going by the working title of “Everest North”, which will follow world-renowned ski mountaineer Jim Morrison, who earlier this week entered the history books as the first person ever to successfully ski down the Hornbein Couloir on the direct north face of Mount Everest.
It took Jim only 4 hours and 5 minutes to complete what is considered to be 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 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) at 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 at 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.
Morrison shared an update on the adventure from the slopes of Everest:
“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 were a galvanising force for me and this incredible team. I hope what we accomplished honours her and the love for these mountains we shared”.
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.
Carolyn Bernstein, executive vice president of Documentary Films for National Geographic added:
“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. 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.”
Jimmy Chin said in a statement regarding the documentary:
“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,”
Vasarhelyi added:
“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 theatres before debuting on National Geographic and Disney+ at a later date. A release date is yet to be announced.
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