May 28, 2015, 11:30am PDT
Summit of Mt. Bona. (Photo Jeff Pickhotlz)
IMG Lead Guide Erica Engle called in just minutes ago from the small outpost town of McCarthy. The entire team has been flown off the mountain and will soon be on their way back to Anchorage. The team slowly made their way down the mountain in sloppy snow conditions over the last few days, then waited out all day yesterday before the clouds cleared and ace bush pilot Paul Claus was able to fly in and pick them up this morning.
My congratulations to the entire team for an auspicious climb. According to the best information available, this IMG team achieved the first complete ascent of a new route via the East Fork of the Russell Glacier and up the west ridge of Mt. Bona. The route was first visited and skied from 12,000 feet a number of years ago. The next visit was last year’s IMG expedition which almost summited but turned back in bad weather above 14,000 feet. Our April climb of this year turned back at their high camp, due to unsafe snow conditions.  Finally, this team was finally able to pull off the complete ascent!
Again, my hat goes off to everyone for an excellent effort on a beautiful new line up Mt. Bona. Well done, team and we look forward to welcoming you home soon.
Note to family and friends: it will be some time yet before the team has cell coverage and will be able to call to check in. They will take 6 plus hours on their journey to Anchorage, hopefully stopping for showers along the way!
George Dunn