September 21, 2023–
Camp near various native African plants (IMG Vault)
IMG Guide Audrey Simonson noted the team successfully climbed through the forest to the Shira Plateau (12,000′) today. The team passed by unique ecology including Native Africa plants Lobelia and Groundsel.
September 20th, 2023–
IMG Kilimanjaro Team at Machame Gate prior to departure (Audrey Simonson)
IMG Guide Audrey Simonson reported the team excitedly drove to the Machame Gate and began their trek through the rain forest to Machame Camp (~10,000ft) after spending the first few days in Moshi preparing and enjoying sites such as the Soko Kuu market and Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union Coffee Company. All is well in Africa!
IMG Kilimanjaro Team in front of the Kilimanjaro Native Cooperative Union Coffee Company (Audrey Simonson)
The start of the climb at Machame Gate in Kilimanjaro National Park (Audrey Simonson)
August 30, 2023
Arriving at the Intipata historic agricultural terraced site on day 3
Foggy day on the Inca Trail! (Tyler Nachand)
And just like that our Peru season is over! All trekkers and Tyler are on their way home from Peru as we speak. We’d like to extend a special thanks to Maximo and Michel, IMG’s Peruvian guides, for all their hard work and expertise on the trip, and to our Quechua support staff for their efforts this month. We’re looking forward to next year in Peru!
August 29, 2023–
IMG guide Tyler Nachand reports that after a comfortable night at the hotel in Agua Calientes, the team headed back up to the Machu Picchu citadel this morning to further explore the site and also to climb the adjoining rocky peak of Huayna Picchu. This is a steep climb, ascending steps carved out of the stone. It is wildly spectacular and provides an entirely different view of Machu Picchu, looking back along the high ridge of the Inca Trail approach which the team followed for the past four days.
Machu Picchu with the rocky peak of Huayna Picchu in the background (Eric Simonson)
After wrapping up their Machu Picchu visit the team descended back to Agua Calientes for lunch. Later today they will be catching the train back to Ollantaytambo, and then continuing to Cusco by vehicle.  It’s not over till its over, but we’re getting closer. Well done team!
Looking back at Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail from the summit of Huayna Picchu (Eric Simonson)
Steep steps on the ascent of Huayna Picchu (Tyler Nachand)
Steeps steps on the descent of Hauyna Picchu (Tyler Nachand)
View from the train heading down the Urabamba River to Cusco (Eric Simonson)
August 28, 2023
The sunrise on the way to the Sun Gate (Audrey Simonson)
Machu Picchu from the Sun Gate with first light (Audrey Simonson)
Trekkers lined up at the park entrance when it opens (Audrey Simonson)
Today, Machu Picchu trekkers made it to the Sun Gate at sunrise and into the lost city of Machu Picchu. Trekkers awoke early to wait at the park gate to be allowed in first. This early start allowed for the team to reach the Sun Gate as the sun hits Machu Picchu for the first time in the morning.
After touring the city, the team took the shuttle back to Aguas Calientes where they will enjoy a nice dinner and a good night’s sleep at their hotel! Tomorrow the team will return to the city for another tour and to climb the iconic Wayna Picchu before returning to Cusco via the scenic train.
Audrey Simonson
August 28, 2023 – With a heavy heart, we here at International Mountain Guides are announcing the early conclusion of our Mt Rainier climbing season. Due to the unseasonably warm temperatures, we have observed an acceleration of glacier deterioration that has left the route unsuitable for our climbers. IMG guides put in a concerted effort last week and were able to connect a route from the Ingraham Flats to the summit, a task yet uncompleted by any other climbers since August 12th. The IMG guides were the first summiters in weeks, and credit is due to these hard working guides for finding a path to the top.
Mt Rainier from near Panorama Point (Harry Hamlin)
Despite finding a viable way to the summit suitable for a slim number of climbers, IMG didn’t feel as though this route would be suitable for the large majority of our climbers and has decided to halt operations on the upper mountain for the remainder of the season.We thank all our customers affected by this change for bearing with us in these uncommon times.
IMG Guides on Mt Rainier August 22 (Porter McMichael)
While this premature end to the season weighs heavy on everyone here at IMG, we want to thank our 2023 customers who were able to join us for successful programs this summer. Our stellar guides were able to assist many of our customers in achieving their climbing dreams this summer, and IMG had a summit rate well over 90%.
The 2023 Summit Mt Rainier Summit Board
While our Rainier season may be drawing to a close, our Mt Baker and North Cascades programs are still in full swing, with many of our South American programs right around the corner. Stay tuned for more!
August 27, 2023
Inca Trail map (Audrey Simonson)
The view from the top of Dead Woman’s Pass (Audrey Simonson)
IMG trekkers making their way through the new jungle ecosystem on the Inca Trail (Audrey Simonson)
Yesterday, Machu Picchu trekkers crossed Dead Woman’s Pass and reached their highest point of the trek! Once over the pass, the Inca Trail is primarily made up of cobblestones and can be rugged. Today, trekkers are making their way toward Machu Picchu but are starting to experience new ecosystems and zones with many different plants than the trail prior to Dead Woman’s Pass. The team will camp tonight on their final night of the trail before waking up early to get to the Sun Gate before the sun touches Machu Picchu in the morning!
August 25, 2023
The start of the Inca Trail (Audrey Simonson)
Urabamba River Valley (Audrey Simonson)
Today our Machu Picchu team hit the trail and are on their way to the ancient Inca city. Today the team travelled just a few miles along the Uramamba River until they started up the mountains. Tomorrow, they will take on Dead Woman’s Pass at about 14,000 ft. This pass marks the high point of the trek. While it’s “all downhill” from there, the team still has plenty of trail ahead of them!
All’s well in Peru!
Aug 24, 2024 -IMG guide Tyler Nachand reports the Machu Picchu team are enjoying their acclimatization, wrapping up their free day in Cusco with a visit to the cathedral, market and nearby Saqsaywaman ruins. Today the team traveled north to the nearby Sacred Valley, visiting Pisac before turning west and following the Urubamba River to Ollantaytambo, where they will spend the night.
The Sacred Valley was a very important part of the Inca Empire and today it still holds many important archeological sites and ruins, and is a major farming area, with the Urubamba River flowing down the valley from the Machu Picchu area. Along the way the team visited a llama and alpaca farm, where the animals are raised for wool, and the wool is dyed into yarn.  It’s a great place to do some gift shopping!
Tomorrow the team will get dropped off at the trailhead for the Inca Trail, where they meet up with their porters and camp staff. That will be the start of the next part of their Peru adventure, a four-day trek to Machu Picchu along the original Inca route to the Citadel. All’s well in Peru!
Saqsaywaman ruins (Tyler Nachand)
The team at the Sacred Valley lookout (Tyler Nachand)
Cusco street scene (Tyler Nachand)
Checking out the locally made woolens (Tyler Nachand)
At the Cusco market (Tyler Nachand)
At the llama and alpaca farm (Tyler Nachand)
August 23, 2023
Inspecting the Incan stonework at the Coricancha Temple (Tyler Nachand)
Looking out at the city of Cusco from the Coricancha Temple (Tyler Nachand)
The Inca Trail Machu Picchu team at the Coricancha Temple in Cusco (Tyler Nachand)
IMG guides Tyler Nachand and Maximo Henostroza report from Cusco Peru that the entire Inca Trail / Machu Picchu team have now arrived. Several members had to change their flights due to the big storm this past week that closed the LAX airport, but its great to hear everything worked out. As we often say, just getting these trips off and running is often one of the biggest challenges. Now, everyone can relax, enjoy the Peruvian culture and do some acclimatization before they hit the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.
Cusco is at about 11,000 feet, so it’s important for the team to just take it slow for the first few days. During the Inca Empire, Cusco was the capital city, so the next two days are a perfect opportunity to visit some of the amazing archeological sites in the area. Today the team is exploring the City, including a visit to the famous Coricancha Temple. This was destroyed during the war with the Conquistadores in the 16th century, but has been rebuilt using the remarkable ashlar masonry techniques, with each stone custom cut to fit perfectly together. Tomorrow the team will travel to the Sacred Valley and visit Pisac and Ollantaytambo. All’s well in Peru!
