January 21, 2020
Vinson from the air (Phil Ershler)
Some good news to report this morning from Antarctica – the planes are in the air. Weather has cleared and our team should have already made the flight over to Union Glacier from Vinson Base Camp. We also heard that the IL 76 is ‘in the air’, meaning everyone should be back in South American late tonight. I know the team is excited to get home and share some pretty amazing stories of their expedition with family and friends.
Phil Ershler
January 19, 2020
Just spoke with Nickel on the sat phone: 100% on the summit, and everyone is now down in high camp. VERY good news. Nickel said it was a bit foggy, a bit snowy and super windy — that works just fine.
View from the summit of Aconcagua on a clear day (Jonathan Farnsworth)
Stay tuned for summit photos from the team soon. One more day, and members will be down in Plaza Mulas with tennis shoes on, eating pizza. We’re just not going to do a whole lot better than that.
Phil Ershler
January 19, 2020
Jay called me last evening after the team’s attempt on Cotopaxi. No summit. Weather wasn’t good when they woke up, so they delayed departure for a bit. Still wasn’t great, but they finally decided to take a shot. 17,500’, more or less, and they were just too wet with no real hope in sight. Discretion being the better part of valor, they made a u-turn and came down. Some members will head home now while others will stay and attempt Chimborazo.
Chimborazo (Luke Reilly)
I’m hoping the weather allows another solid attempt and that the climbers can stay strong for one more summit. Let’s see, and we’ll wish them luck.
Phil Ershler
January 19, 2020
IMG’s Aconcagua team is climbing now. All were doing well when I spoke with Nickel yesterday from high camp. Three guides are with them, so we’re hoping for the best. He was expecting all members to take a shot at the summit, but we don’t know until we know. When we get definitive news, we’ll let you know.
The Vinson team is doing well in Antarctica. Jonathan Schrock let us know last night that the big descent from high camp to base camp was completed yesterday without issue. As soon as weather permits, they’ll fly to Union Glacier and then start winging their way home.
The Vinson team is hoping to be on the big IL 76 soon (Phil Ershler)
The team is where they should be after summiting, and everyone is happy and healthy.
Phil Ershler
January 17, 2020
Final Steps To The Top
Always nice to report that we have received news of another successful Vinson ascent. All members are on the summit and descending now. No details other than all is well, and that they are on their way down. Exactly what we wanted to hear.
They’ll need one more full climbing day before they will be able to relax. High camp down to Vinson base camp is a full day, demanding everyone’s attention; then we can start calling things a true success! It ain’t over till it’s over but this news is a pretty good start.
Congratulations to Jonathan and the team!
Phil Ershler
January 16, 2020
Ladder crossing a crevasse on Rainier (Keith Rumburg)
Join IMG this spring for our annual ‘Prep for Mount Rainier’ classes at REI!
Each year IMG & REI team up to help guided and independent climbers prepare for Rainier. The classes are held at local REI’s throughout western Washington and hosted by IMG guides.
| Date: | Time: | Location: | Guides: |
| 5-Feb | 6:30pm-8:00pm | Tacoma REI | Jason Edwards |
| 11-Feb | 6:00pm-7:30pm | Alderwood REI | Patrick Mauro |
| 13-Feb | 6:30pm-8:00pm | Issaquah REI | Harry Hamlin |
| 25-Feb | 6:30pm-8:00pm | Seattle REIÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â | Dallas Glass & Lara Ralich |
| 4-Mar* | 5:30pm-7:00pm | Southcenter REI (Odin Brewing) | Patrick Mauro |
| 10-Mar | 6:00pm-7:30pm | Bellevue REI | Jay Lyons |
| 26-Mar | 6:30pm-8:00pm | Seattle REI | Lara Ralich & Patrick Mauro |
| 6-Apr* | 6:30pm-8:00pm | Seattle REI (Women’s Class) | Lara Ralich |
Note on March 4: this session is not at REI Southcenter, but at Odin Brewing Company in Tukwila, just around the corner from the store at 402 Baker Blvd.
Note on April 6: this session is a women’s prep class only
Space is limited – sign up early through the links above!
January 16, 2020
Cayambe summits!
Congrats to Jay, Romulo, and the team for a successful summit of (18,996′) Cayambe! Next up: hot springs and a hotel before driving to Hacienda El Porvenir at the base of Cotopaxi. Nice work so far!
The Ecuador volcanoes are an excellent follow up to Rainier and a fantastic way to prepare for Aconcagua!
Phil Ershler
January 15, 2020
Things are going about as well as they could be in the Ouray Ice Park this winter. Here are some photos Justin Merle & Andy Polloczek sent in from a recent climb with a private group. These photos were taken in Silverton, where the party went to climb ‘Whorehouse Hoses’. The weird looking tunnel they walked thru was actually an old avalanche of ice from spring of 2019 that built up a lot of debris and lasted through the summer. A creek melted this tunnel through the ice and then stopped running this winter so they could use it as an easy access route!
If you haven’t already signed up for your Ouray adventure with IMG, now is the perfect time!
George Dunn
January 15, 2020
Update time from the Southern Hemisphere, as everyone is in position to make some significant movement today. Antarctica is first – team is doing well. It’s just fun when you have a strong, competent team. Jonathan called in yesterday that weather is looking good for a move to high camp today. Can’t confirm yet that they’re in camp but feel pretty good about that possibility. Remember, Vinson time is Chile time, meaning they’re 5 hours later than Seattle AND the hours when they actually move on the climb differ day to day, depending on their location. It’s light 24 hours a day but the sun hides behind the different mountains at different times and no one wants to be climbing in the shade. It’s cold. Right now, their climbing hours are later in the day. Maybe we’ll get a call from Jonathan late today. Regardless, no issues so far.
Aconcagua – Nickel reports team hanging in and doing well. It’s getting tougher on Aconcagua as they’re getting higher. The team had a good carry to C2, over 18,000’ and may well be making their move to this new camp today. Big landmark for them.
We also have a report from Jay down in Ecuador. The team spent yesterday at the Cayambe hut doing a little training/review and a lot of acclimatizing. Weather looked fairly solid when they reported in yesterday so the plan was to climb today. Won’t likely be able to post news of their success until tomorrow but remember – no news is good news. Any way you cut it, 19,000’ is high so they have their work cut out for them. Wishing everyone the best.
Phil Ershler
January 12, 2020
We’ve received updates from down South, so it’s time to get caught up.
Let’s start way south and work our way north. Jonathan Schrock got a text out this morning. He and the team have been at Union Glacier, waiting for better flying weather. Not exactly tough duty, but Jonathan wrote to say he’s running out of dinner stories for the team. He’s lying: with his climbing history, I don’t think that’s possible. Regardless, visibility appears to be improving, and he anticipates being at Vinson Base Camp today.
The team is in good shape and is just ready to get a move on to get busy climbing Vinson. Jonathan did get a photo out just before the doors closed on the IL 76:
Flight to Antarctica on the Il 76 Russian cargo jet (Jonathan Schrock)
Flying to the Ice in this 1970’s vintage Russian cargo jet is an adventure all in itself. All good on The Ice.
Our team on Aconcagua is making steady progress. The team made their three day trek into base camp without issue, and everyone passed their health checks. They’re at C1, 16,200’, sticking to the plan of a carry and then a move to the next higher camp. Guide Harry Hamlin was able to get out a pretty nice photo as they approached base camp a couple of days ago:
Last stretch to Aconcagua base camp (Harry Hamlin)
That’s Aconcagua on the left of the photo and Ameghino on the right. Route to C2 heads right between the two.
Foggy summit on Fuya Fuya (Romulo Cardenas)
As we continue our tour of the Southern Hemisphere, let’s check in with our Ecuador team led by Jay Lyons and Romulo Cardenas. These guys are in the “minimal work/lots of fun†phase of the expedition. With all members having successfully arrived, the team got in a day touring Old Town Quito before heading north, crossing the equator and then visiting the famous Indian market of Otavalo. Outside of Otavalo are perfect areas for acclimatization prior to their attempt on Cayambe.
Yesterday was a hike around the crater of Fuya Fuya, and they should be hiking the peak of Imbarbura today. All of which is in preparation for heading up to attempt Cayambe.
Phil Ershler
