Kilimanjaro Climbers Reach Machame Camp

December 22, 2014

Sign at the Machame Gate (about 5800 feet) at the beginning of the climb (Eric Simonson)

IMG guide Max Bunce called on the sat phone to report that the team all made it up to Machame Camp, at the treeline just below 10,000 feet.Â They had a nice hike up today through the forest, and everyone is doing well.Â He said they had a few showers during the afternoon, but did not get very wet, and that now in the evening it was clearing up and looking good.Â Tomorrow they will climb up to the Shira Plateau, and get the first big views of Kilimanjaro from â€œup closeâ€!

Eric Simonson

Aconcagua Team 1 Arrives In Mendoza

December 21, 2014

First team dinner in Mendoza

Time to kick off the IMG Aconcagua season.Â IMG guides Peter Adams, Jonathan Schrock and Martin Lucero have their team together now in Mendoza, Argentina.Â Sunday was the first â€˜officialâ€™ day of the expedition.Â The guides were finishing final shopping/packing today as the last of the team was arriving.Â Everyoneâ€™s now together and with all their luggage.Â Always a good thing.Â Theyâ€™ll wrap up gear checks, final packing and secure the required permit to climb Aconcagua.

Aconcagua is a big climb, a true expedition.Â While not technically demanding, members need to physically quite fit and ready to work as part of a team for two weeks.Â No small task.Â Second group will be heading down in a week.Â Itâ€™s show time.

Phil Ershler

Vinson Team Ready For Move To High Camp

December 21, 2014

Life inside a tent

The good fortune continues.Â Mike and Team Taylor made a carry Saturday up to high camp.Â It went well.Â Sunday was a rest day at C1.Â Forecast is reasonable so the plan for Monday is to make the big move up to high camp.Â Then, itâ€™s game time.Â The guys will watch the weather and be ready to take a shot at the summit the first reasonable day.

Phil Ershler

Holiday Kilimanjaro Trip Is Ready To Start

December 19, 2014

IMG senior guide Max Bunce is back in Moshi, getting ready for our annual Holiday Kilimanjaro trip.Â This year the plan is for the team to summit Kili on December 27.Â Then, they go on safari and will be enjoying New Year’s eve at the fabulous Ngorongoro Sopa Lodge perched on the edge of the Crater!Â It is going to be a fun trip, and we are looking forward to following along.

Max Bunce (top left) and Ken (top right) with the kids!

Today Max and climber Ken Goodwin visited the Center for Street Children in Moshi to drop off some school and sports supplies that IMG guide Jenni Pfafman helped to organize.Â The rest of the team rolls in today and we’ll be hoping that everyone shows up with all their luggage!

Eric Simonson

Vinson Team Still On The Move

December 19, 2014

Climbing towards Camp 1.

Looks like Mike and team are off to a really good start.Â They left Punta Arenas yesterday morning and were able to fly on the IL 76 to the Union Glacier at about 80 degrees S. latitude.Â Then, it wasnâ€™t long before they boarded another flight on one of the Twin Otters over to Vinson base camp.Â Mike left me a message last night saying that weather was good and that their plan was to move up to C1 today.

Just a great way to begin the expedition.

Phil Ershler

Vinson Team 2 On Track

December 18, 2014

IL-76

IMG Senior Guide Mike Hamill called in today with good news… the team was set to flyÂ onto the ice as scheduled, always a win for a flight to Antarctica.

Once on the ice, teams usually head to Union Glacier Base Camp for a bite to eat. If the weather is favorable, they’ll sort their gear and grab a twin otter flight to Vinson Base Camp. If the weather isn’t cooperating, they’ll set up right there at Union Glacier for the ‘night’. Remember they’re about as far south as you can get, so they’re working with about 24 hours of daylight!

More from Mike as the team makes progress.

Tye Chapman

Vinson Team 2 Set And Ready

December 17, 2014

: The ride to the ice.

: Having a slice of pie.

Senior Guide, Mike Hamill, reports in, yet again, from Punta Arenas, Chile letting us know that all members have arrived, gear has arrived, last minute shopping/packing is complete and that the team and he are ready to roll.Â Briefing for all of the folks flying to Antarctica happens this afternoon (Chilean time) and that theyâ€™ll likely be flying south soon.Â Weather report is currently favorable for flying.Â Equipment has been picked up and loaded into the plane so allâ€™s in order.

This is a fun time for the group.Â Everythingâ€™s done so the pressureâ€™s off, at least for a while.Â They can enjoy Punta, think about the upcoming project and have one more hotel night before itâ€™s time to go to work and start sleeping at below zero temperatures.Â And, what an absolutely â€˜coolâ€™ place to spend Christmas!

Phil Ershler

Ouray Ice Climbing Awaits

December 10, 2014

: Stairway to Heaven 12-9-2014 (Photo by Justin Merle)

: Stairway Climber (Photo by Justin Merle)

Itâ€™s December and guides are starting to arrive in Ouray for the winter season.Â Weâ€™ve been out exploring some of the area classics–the backcountry ice is coming in quite nicely, and some normally thin routes are in as fat as they’ve been in a long time.Â Currently the weather is temperate and clear, and low snowpack is making for easy approaches to climbs in South Mineral Creek–the road is often closed by this time of year.Â Today Mark Allen, Pat Ormond and I went out to climb the Direct North Face, up in South Mineral.Â Several pitches of great, fun, ramblyÂ climbing with a couple steep pitches thrown in.Â I’d never climbed up in that area–it was nice to explore something new!Â Yesterday I went out with some friends to climb in Eureka–ended up climbing the classicÂ Stairway to Heaven, which is in great shape, with nice plastic ice and 800 feet of enjoyable climbing–nice to get out on old favorites as well!Â The rest of the Eureka climbs are looking great too!

The Ouray ice park is still working on building a base of ice and should be open later in the month, giving us access to anÂ unparalleled ice climbing instructionÂ venue.Â The backcountry is climbing well; December is a great time to beat the crowds and have some backcountry ice adventures!Â In January weâ€™ll be in full swing running the gamut of ice climbing programs from beginner to advanced to custom.Â Come on out and climb in Ouray with us!

Justin Merle

Attention All Everest Climbers: PED’s Survey

December 10, 2014

Helicopter view of the Dudh Kosi valley with Nuptse, Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Tengboche monastery (Eric Simonson)

There have been some recent assertions in the media that many Everest climbers are all jacked up on performance enhancing drugs.Â Speaking on behalf of the guides here at IMG who go to Everest every year, our experience is the exact opposite.Â Other than maybe using some Diamox on the first few days of the trek, when initially going to higher altitudes, our experience has been that few, if any, of our IMG Everest climbers take any kind of high altitude medications when climbing Mt Everest.

In an attempt to shed some light on this apparent big difference in opinion, some of our friends in the high altitude medical community are reaching out to Everest climbers with a survey.Â Their goal is to cut through the speculation and actually get some data, and we are supportive of this effort.Â If you are an Everest climber or know someone who is, please check out this survey information.

Eric Simonson

Vinson Team Wraps It Up

December 8, 2014

IL 76

This is what an IL76 looks like on a runway of ice.Â Impressive, huh?Â The IL is in the air and will be landing at the Union Glacier shortly.Â The team will be sleeping tonight in Punta Arenas.Â Our travel company, CTT Destinations, is already working on getting everyoneâ€™s flights re-booked so they can get home as soon as possible.

So, we wrap up another safe, successful and enjoyable expedition to the Ice.Â Since our first expedition there in 1988, weâ€™ve still never had a group miss the summit and still never had an injury accident.Â We proud to be able to say both.Â Give most of that credit to the climbers IMG attracts.Â Theyâ€™re motivated, prepared and ready to work as part of a team to accomplish a goal.Â Now, itâ€™s time for them to celebrate their success.Â IMG thanks each of them for their contributions and cooperation.

Mike Hamill will be flying back onto the Ice on the 18th with the second IMG team for the season and weâ€™ll have 2 additional trips later in the season.Â Lots of news from THE ICE to report on this season.Â Austin will be home for the holidays and then leading our January Mexico trip.

Weâ€™ll be posting more Vinson news in less than 2 weeks!Â Congratulations and welcome home, team!

Phil Ershler