IMGD Teams 1 and 2 at 14K Camp – Teams 3 + 4 Ready in Talkeetna

May 30, 2025

Team 4 stands together in front of the hotel

Teams 1 and 2 are still waiting out weather at 14 Camp. A weather window looks to open up tomorrow, allowing them to carry to 16K Ridge in the morning. Beyond that, current weather patterns will likely keep them from ascending further for a little while longer, but a summit attempt is still in the cards!

Team 3 is also weathered in in Talkeetna today, and waiting for a window to fly onto the Kahiltna Glacier.

Team 4 Custom has joined Team 3 in Talkeetna today.

IMG Denali can arrange custom programs for climbing groups of any size up to 8. Our custom programs are tailored to the groups needs and can be a great way to have a unique experience with a group of friends, family, or coworkers! To inquire about your 2026 custom program, send us an email at: office@mountainguides.com

Team 4 Lands in Anchorage!

May 29, 2025

Team 1 is resting at 14 camp today, as they wait for a weather window to carry their first load of gear to high camp.

Team 2 is in much the same position as team 1. They are also resting at 14 Camp, and will likely continue to await better weather through tomorrow.

Team 3 is headed to Talkeetna! There they will wait for a weather window to fly onto the mountain and begin their ascent.

Team 4, led by Timm Phillips, has arrived in Alaska! They will do their gear check this afternoon, and then have a team dinner to get to know each other tonight.

Team 3 taking a well deserved rest in the Seattle airport this morning.

Team 3 Arrives in Alaska!

Group 3 Gear Check at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage

Team 3 Gear Check at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage

May 28, 2025 –

Team 3, led by Peter Dale, has arrived in Anchorage! There are still two groups left to fly out, but we have officially launched over half of our 2025 Denali/McKinley teams.

Team 1 is retrieving their cached goods from 13,000 Camp today, and tonight should be their second to last night at 14 Camp. They’ll be being joined by Team 2 this evening, as they make their first ascent to 14 camp.

Continued Climbing

View from Motorcycle hill looking back to 11000′ camp and Mt Foraker in the background. (Eric Simonson)

May 27, 2025

IMG Denali teams 1 and 2 are still only one day apart!

Team 1 are headed to 14,000 camp for the night. After caching supplies yesterday, they’re acclimated and have had a chance to store some of their supplies higher up the mountain.

Team 2 spent today caching their own supplies! Ideally, these two groups will remain staggered like this all the way to the summit, and be able to overlap and offer camaraderie and support to each other throughout the trip.

Team 3, led by Peter Dale, will fly into Anchorage tomorrow morning, so keep an eye out for a new team to track!

Update from Denali/McKinley!

May 25th, 2025

11K camp located at the bottom of Motorcycle Hill.

Both IMG Denali teams are currently camped and operating out of the 11,000′ camp.

Team 1 made a carry up Motorcycle Hill and around the famous Windy Corner today to supply their next cache, located at 13,500′.
Team 2 reached the 11,000′ camp yesterday and are currently back-carrying to retrieve items cached at Kahiltna Pass.

No doubt both teams will be swapping stories and enjoying some camaraderie over dinner tonight!

Summit Success on Rainier!

May 25th, 2025

Arrival at the Summit! (A Diana)

Descending from the summit. (A Diana)

A successful week for International Mountain Guides on Mt. Rainier, as 2 of our Disappointment Cleaver teams enjoyed summits. Team #1 lead by Juliana Garcia celebrated the first summit of the 2025 season, with cold and breezy conditions and limited visibility from the crater.

Team #2 lead by Angie Diana, summited May 24th, with great route conditions, and beautiful views as they watched the sunrise from high upon the mountain.

IMG Denali Progress

May 23, 2025

11000′ K Camp with Mt. Foraker in the distance (Riley Gilson)

Team 1, lead by Brad Swanson, is ascending to 11k Camp! This incredible landscape provides a beautiful view of Foraker’s summit on a clear day, as seen in the photo above.

Team 2, led by Max Bond, is caching at 10k, and will be spending to night at Ski Hill. Caching is a process by which climbers ease long ascents by taking time to take a load of supplies (but not their full gear load) to a higher elevation, and then returning and taking a second trip with the rest of their gear to make a huge load more manageable. They also give their bodies time to acclimate to the higher elevation and slow their ascent. This means lighter loads on stronger bodies, which is a benefit in the extreme conditions of this beautiful mountain!

Team Bond arrives on the Mountain!

Lead Guide, Alex Bond, and Assistant Guide, Lindsey Valero, sitting in the ski plane abut to take off

Lead Guide, Max Bond, and Assistant Guide, Lindsey Valero, sitting in the ski plane abut to take off

May 22, 2025 – Team 2 has arrived on the Kahiltna Glacier! They are headed up to Ski Hill Camp, and will begin their trek up the mountain tomorrow morning.

Team Swanson is carrying gear to 10k Camp to cache supplies and begin acclimating to the altitude. They will continue to climb with interspersed acclimation/caching days for the next week and a half until they’re within range of the summit.

First arrivals to Kahiltna!

May 21. 2025 – Team Swanson has arrived on the Kahiltna Glacier! From here on out the team will be out of cell service, and all communications to HQ will be coming via InReach. They are currently at 7,200 feet above sea level, and over the next two weeks they will climb up a additional 13,100 feet to the mountain’s 20,300 foot summit.

Team Bond has arrived safely in Talkeetna, and is hoping to be able to fly out to the glacier tomorrow. They’ll get a good dinner and some good rest while they can, and be ready to launch as soon as the weather allows!

Team Bond in front of a large stone fireplace with mounted taxidermy animals

Team Bond last night at the Lakefront Hotel in Anchorage

A New Group of Arrivals About to Join Those Waiting at Talkeetna

May 20, 2025

IMGD Guide, Brad Swanson, sits on the front steps of a log building petting a very content orange cat

IMGD Guide, Brad Swanson, with his new best friend.

Team 1 is on day three of waiting to fly out of Talkeetna, the staging ground from which the climbers will take a bush plane up to the Kahiltna Glacier Base Camp. However, this delay is not unusual and spirits are high among the team as they make new friends, human and feline.

Team 2, led by Max Bond, has arrived in Anchorage, and will be departing for Talkeetna tomorrow morning. They will then wait for their own turn to fly out to the glacier and begin this incredible journey!