From Rainier To Rocktober

October 16, 2014

So what becomes of our guides when Rainier season wraps up?  IMG Guide Cedric Gamble sheds a little light on where you might find them…

Sunlight crept over the Cascade Volcanoes heralding in the last day of the 2014 Mt. Rainier climbing season. There were nine guides at Camp Muir that morning, so quite a few rounds of French press coffee were brewed. After breakfast two guides took off down the Muir Snowfield with the eight clients of the last climb. The rest of the guides worked as fast as they could to tear down the Weather Port, sort all of the gear, and store it all away in the Gombu for winter. The beautiful morning didn’t last, and billowing clouds chased the tear-down team down the mountain. As their boots hit the parking lot the first rain drops began to fall. The winter storm that blew in blanketed Rainier in a fresh coat of white and scattered the guides of IMG. The season known as “Rocktober” has arrived.

Strangely enough when we aren’t working, most of us like to go climbing. October and November are typically great climbing weather months, especially in desert environments. It’s finally cool enough to climb, but not so cold that you can’t feel your fingers. Many guides can be found in places like Indian Creek, Zion, Red Rocks, Yosemite, or Joshua Tree. Life becomes very simple: Eat, Sleep, Climb, Repeat. Rocktober is a great time to decompress from a long summer of guiding, work on personal climbing skills, and practice for guide exams.

So wherever you are this fall, keep your eyes out for a guide taking advantage of Rocktober. And if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, go find a little bit of Rocktober for yourself.

– Cedric Gamble, IMG Guide