Remembering Gee Pierrel, the Brilliant Ski Mountaineer Who Conquered the Impossible

Ski mountaineer Guillaume “Gee” Pierrel died at age 42 during an attempt to climb and ski K6 in Pakistan, according to preliminary reporting cited by Pamir Times and Everest Daily. He was climbing with Frenchman Boris Jules and Swiss Christina Maria at around 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) on June 24 when an avalanche struck during the ascent, sweeping over him and killing him instantly. Tour operator Ishaq Ali said the team managed to bring Pierrel’s body down to Camp I, but a helicopter could not reach the area due to high temperatures, with the Baltoro Glacier expected to hit the 90s Fahrenheit that week; the team hoped for a flight the next day. Pierrel’s partner, Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger, posted in June that she and Pierrel were traveling together, and sources close to her said she survived and was at a lower camp. Earlier, Pierrel and Lustenberger completed major first descents, including a February 2025 run on Mount Robson in Canada and a line on Aoraki/Mount Cook in New Zealand.