Mera Peak Express Team Ready To Fly

October 23 2018

: Khote at 3600m (Eric Simonson)

: Friends along the way (Kevin Kayl)

: Khote (Kevin Kayl)

IMG Guide Nathan Berry along with Dawa Sherpa checked in from Khote last night to let us know the Mera Peak Express Team has arrived to Khote and will be up early in preparation for the flight back to Lukla.Â This team has enjoyed incredible weather and after a couple more days, they will be celebrating in Lukla and Kathmandu!

We are ready for you to visit the Hinku Valley and climb Mera Peak in 2019!

Greg Vernovage

Teams Enjoying Great Trekking Weather In Nepal

October 22, 2018

: Pheriche with Ama Dablam (Mitch Hobbs)

: Pheriche with Lobuche Peak and Cho Oyu in the distance (Austin Shannon)

: Trekking with Ama Dablam in the background (Harry Hamlin)

Our Ama Dablam and 3X2 Team enjoyed a great weekend in Pheriche.Â The weather was perfect and allowed the team to take a couple acclimatization hikes up the ridge.Â Hiking up the ridge exposes the team to great views of Lobuche Peak where the 3X2 will be heading for their climb.Â The hike also allows the Ama Dablam Team to get a close up look at the North Ridge of Ama Dablam.Â A few other notable peaks that they will see are Makalu, Island Peak, Baruntse and Lhotse.

The team will head out early tomorrow morning and head to Chukkung.Â This will be a good day trekking and an opportunity to gain more valuable altitude.Â After Chukkung, the trek up Chukkung Ri.

Over the ridge from Pheriche, Harry Hamlin checked in with the Private EBC Trek and Gokyo Loop from Dingboche.Â The team is doing great and enjoying beautiful days on the trail.Â They will take the same hike up the ridge tomorrow and will have a great chance to take stunning photos.

Beautiful views in the Khumbu Valley!

Greg Vernovage

Mera Peak Express Team Summits

October 22, 2018

: Beautiful clouds at Mera La (Nathan Berry)

: Climbing on Mera Peak (Nathan Berry)

: Porters leaving Base Camp on Mera with Kangtega in the backbround (Nathan Berry)

We heard from IMG Guide Nathan Berry overnight from Khare.Â The Mera Peak Express Team is celebrating their summit day on Mera Peak!Â The summit day on Mera Peak started clear and cool and stayed that way for the majority of the climb allowing the team to take in great views of Makalu, Lhotse and Everest.Â Once the team got back to Mera La, the clouds began rolling in giving incredible opportunities for sunset photos.

Tomorrow, the team will continue downhill to Khote after stopping for lunch in Thagnak.Â This will be a 4 hour trek downhill.Â From Thagnak, it will be time to talk in more views from the helicopter as they team flies to Lukla.

What a great climb in the Hinku Valley!

Greg Vernovage

Mera Peak Summits!

October 21, 2018

For the second time this season, IMG Guide Nathan Berry checked in from the summit of Mera Peak. This time, Nathan went to the top with our Mera Peak Express Team and legendary Senior Sherpa Guide Dawa Sherpa. Anytime Dawa Sherpa is around, my bet is on him for a great day and good things to happen.

: IMG Guide Nathan Berry pointing at Mount Everest from the summit of Mera Peak (Nate Berry)

: Sunrise on Mera Peak (Nate Berry)

IMG team on the summit of Mera Peak (Nate Berry)

The team is back at Mera La Base Camp for the night and will descend to Khare in the morning and Khote the following day to catch a flight back to Lukla. Congratulations to the Mera Peak Express Team!

Greg Vernovage

Carstensz Pyramid Summit Photos and Progress

October 20, 2018

IMG Senior Guide Jonathan Schrock checked in from Timika last night to let us know that one heli flight made it into Base Camp to pick up members before the clouds rolled in. The helicopter sat on standby for the rest of the day but conditions did not improve.

2018 IMG Carstensz Pyramid Team at Yellow Valley (Jonathan Schrock)

Everyone is up and looking at the weather already, and if it clears, our team will be ready to fly. In the meantime, Jonathan sent back some great photos of the teams summit day on Carstensz Pyramid.

Working the fixed lines on Carstensz Pyramid (Jonathan Schrock)

2018 IMG Carstensz Pyramid Team on the Summit (16,023â€™) (Jonathan Schrock)

What a great day for climbing on Carstensz!

Greg Vernovage

Great Weather on the Gokyo Loop in Nepal

October 20, 2018

IMG Guide Harry Hamlin checked in with a couple great photos of the trek. The team enjoyed the Everest View Hotel and it is now time to move up the valley. The team has enjoyed great weather and stellar views during the trek.

: Private Gokyo Loop Trek at the Hillary Viewpoint (Harry Hamlin)

: Gokyo Loop Team at the Hillary Viewpoint (Harry Hamlin)

The team is now in Tengboche where they will visit the monastery for the evening. Tomorrow, they will head up to Pangboche and be up close to Ama Dablam.

Greg Vernovage

Mera Peak Team in Position at High Camp

October 20, 2018

IMG Senior Sherpa Danuru â€œDawaâ€ Sherpa checked in from High Camp on Mera Peak. The weather is looking good for the team to head for the summit in the morning. Dawa and Nate will call from the summit and let us know how the team is doing.

: Camp at Mera La (Nathan Berry)

: Climbing route on Mera Peak (Nate Berry)

The 3X2 and Ama Dablam Team have moved up to Pheriche from Pangboche. They will spend a couple days in Pheriche, acclimatizing and preparing to head up to Chukkung and a hike of Chukkung Ri.

Phortse with Ama Dablam (Greg Vernovage)

All is well in the Hinku and Khumbu Valleys!

Greg Vernovage

Acclimating In The Hinku Valley

October 19, 2018

Mera Peak from above Khare (Eric Simonson)

The Mera Peak Express Team had a nice day hiking and acclimatizing at Khare (16,404â€™).Â The team got out and stretched their legs in the morning on a hill just outside of Khare.Â From the hill, the team can get a good look at the route on Mera Peak.

From near Khare, Mera Peak and view down the Hinku Valley towards Thagnak (Eric Simonson)

The team spent the afternoon organizing and packing the gear they will need for the climb.Â The will head up to Mera La (17,765â€™) in the morning.

All is well in the Hinku Valley!

Greg Vernovage

Puja Blessing In Pangboche With Phunuru

October 19, 2018

Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest under perfect skies (Phunuru Sherpa)

IMG Guide Phunuru Sherpa checked in from Pangboche overnight.Â Phunuru was up at Gorakshep collecting the gear we will need on Ama Dablam.Â After he collected the gear, Phunuru went down to meet the Ama Dablam and 3X2 Teams in Pangboche.Â They visited the monastery and received a blessing for their climbs of Lobuche and Ama Dablam.

: Puja in Pangboche (Phunuru Sherpa)

: 3X2 and Ama Dablam Teams with Phunuru at Pangboche Monastery (Phunuru Sherpa)

Tomorrow, the team will be heading to Dingboche and the weather is beautiful!

Greg Vernovage

100% On Top Of Carstensz Pyramid

October 18, 2018

The summit of Carstensz Pyramid (Jonathan Schrock)

We have just heard from IMG Guides Jonathan Schrock and Austin Shannon from the summit of Carstensz Pyramid.Â 12 total climbers are standing on top of Carstensz Pyramid under clear skies.Â The route is in great condition and the team picked the perfect day to climb.Â Jonathan said there was a light breeze with no clouds overhead and beautiful view.

: The Tyrolean Traverse on Carstensz Pyramid (John Dahlem)

: Climbing on the summit ridge on Carstensz (Greg Vernovage)

: Rappelling on Carstensz Pyramid (Greg Vernovage)

Congratulations to all of the climbers on Carstensz Pyramid!

Greg Vernovage