Denali Teams at 14K Camp

May 18, 2024

Climbing on the West Buttress with Foraker behind (Eric Simonson)

Looking up towards the West Buttress from 14 Camp (Eric Simonson)

All is going well on Denali so far… which is all we can really ask for as guides! With conditions being okay compared to last year, our teams all have good forward momentum and are chugging their way towards the top.

Team 1 led by Peter Dale is leading the charge of IMG teams up the Kahiltna. Team 1 has been at 14K Camp for a couple of days resting, and now are making their first acclimatization climb to cache at the top of the fixed lines at 16,200′ just below Washburn’s Thumb. This team is doing well!

Team 2 led by Riley Gilson is making their move to 14K Camp today from 11K. The team will be doing a back-carry and resting in the coming days.

Team 3 led by Justin Sackett is still poised at 11K Camp and are making their first rotation up to 13,5 K today to cache gear before coming back down to 11K to sleep. Justin’s next notable milestone will be their move to 14K Camp.

Team 4 is putting the finishing touches on their gear here at IMG HQ and will be departing for the airport to meet in Anchorage on Monday with Team 5 departing a couple days later.

Everest and Lhotse are a wrap!

May 18, 2024

Makalu and Lhotse from the South Summit on Everest (Porter McMichael)

IMG’s Porter McMichael has now reached Kathmandu, and sent a gorgeous dawn photo from his climb a few days ago. The climbers have now all reached Kathmandu, the final loads are all off the mountain and have been packed up, and the yaks are coming to Base Camp today to carry the gear down to our storeroom. All that remains to do is the final end-of-climb briefing at the Department of Tourism. Congrats to our summit climbers and thanks to the trekkers, guides, sherpas and staff that helped make the 2024 expedition possible. It’s a wrap!

Denali Teams Resting

May 17th, 2024

Tents low down on the glacier at ski hill camp (Tomah Whitney)

Team 1 led by Peter Dale, has arrived at 14,000′ after a heavy pack and sled day, the work begins after pulling into camp! Setting up the tents, building snow walls, group kitchen, melting snow, and finally hot drinks, and dinner. Fun fact about 14,000′ is the “backcountry restroom has the best view in the house”!

Team 2 led by Riley Gilson has returned to camp after caching their carry at 13,500′. Rest days are used for sleeping, self-care, hydrating, managing your feet, catching up on reading, and maybe even some tunes.

Team 3 led by Justin Sackett and crew will be sharing camp tonight with Team 2 after their move to 11,000. Another long day after their back carry to retrieve their cache from Kahiltna Pass. More resting and caching is what is store for this team in the next few days.

Look for updates on Team 4 led by Forrest Baldwin, as he will be meeting up with his group in Anchorage on Monday.

IMG Denali teams report in May 16th, 2024!

May 16th, 2024

: View from Motorcycle hill looking back to 11000′ camp. (Eric Simonson)

: Camp at 11000′ down glacier with Foraker in the distance. (Eric Simonson)

: 14000’camp looking up to the ridge of the west buttress. (Eric Simonson)

Another productive day on Denali! Team 1 lead by Peter Dale is moving up to 14,000′, where they will set up camp, and settle in for rest and recovery. Camp at 14000′ is filled with many teams from all over globe, and is staffed by the Denali National Park Rangers at their emergency medical facilities.

Team 2 lead by Riley Gilson will be traveling again today where they will encounter motorcycle hill, and windy corner to cache food and supplies at 13,500″. “Motorcycle hill” named because of resemblance to the steep hills in motocross, is one of the first steep hills they will encounter.

Team 3 lead by Justin Sackett is moving to camp at 11000′, with lots of daylight for travel and camp chores as sunset isn’t until 11:00 pm. If above the haze, they will have views straight down the Kahiltna glacier, into the tundra and even the sound. Again rest and recovery and good food so important!

Good luck to our teams! Who’s team are you following?

IMG Denali teams make great progress!

May 15th, 2024

: IMG Team 3 lead by Justin Sackett poses in front of their ski plane (Justin Sackett)

: The view from the cockpit as IMGD climbers fly into Kahiltna Base Camp (Audrey Simonson)

: IMGD climbers breaking above Windy Corner (Audrey Simonson)

Team Sackett flew onto the runway of the Kahiltna glacier yesterday. The team emptying the plane, filling their packs, and sleds with over 100#s of food, fuel, and personal supplies. Team Sackett has already made camp at Ski Hill, as they begin their journey.

Hard work today for team Gilson, caching supplies today at the 11,000′ camp. Wishing them luck with their plans to move up to Camp 3 tomorrow, pulling in behind team Dale.

Today team Dale is resting up for a big push, as they prepare to move up and around windy corner to camp at 14000′. looking forward to leaving their sleds behind, as they move higher and higher on the mountain.

Good Luck to all of our teams!

Everest and Lhotse climbers back to Base Camp

Headlights on Everest May 13 2024 from Lhotse (Phunuru)

Great news, all the IMG Everest climbers, Lhotse climbers and sherpas have safely descended to Base Camp. In addition, Camps 3 and 4 have been dismantled and all gear and oxygen bottles brought down. Currently our team of sherpas are at Camp 2 dismantling camp in preparation for the final down carries through the Icefall. Ang Jangbu reports that there is a cloud cap over the summit today, and that the winds are ripping up high. Timing is everything!

Everest and Lhotse climbers back to Camp 2

May 13, 2024

Camp 2 in the Western Cwm (Eric Remza)

High winds building over the Himalaya (India Meteorological Department)

Ang Jangbu reports that all IMG climbers and Sherpas are safe and sound back to Camp 2. Their timing is good, as high winds are predicted to build again over Everest for the next few days. Their plan will be to return to Base Camp either tomorrow or the next day. Well done up there!!

Everest and Lhotse Summits!

May 12, 2024

Everest from almost the summit of Lhotse (Porter McMichael)

View from the summit of Everest with headlights above Balcony and on Lhotse (Justin Merle)

Phunuru reports that his team had a successful climb to the summit of Lhotse, reaching the top at 3:50am on May 13. They are now on their way back down to Camp 2. Over on Everest, the climbers who made the summit with Porter rang the bell between 4:45 and 7:35 and are now on their way back to the South Col. If they are feeling strong they will continue descending to Camp 2 today. Meanwhile, we have a team of Sherpas heading up to the Col from Camp 2, to help move equipment down from Camp 4.

It’s Summit Night!

May 12, 2024

Everest and the South Col from the Lhotse climbing route (Porter McMichael)

The team had a smooth trip up to Camp 4 today, climbing up through the Yellow Band and the upper part of the Lhotse Face. Porter reports that the weather was not perfect, and that the team was in a snow squall for several hours and that it was quite blustery when they arrived. However, the sun emerged, and the wind calmed down during the afternoon and everyone is doing well. The Everest climbers have now departed the South Col and the Lhotse team will leave in a couple hours. Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Denali Team 3 En Route to Anchorage, Teams 1 & 2 On The Move

May 12, 2024

: IMG Guide Riley Gilson putting the final touches on Denali food packing for Team 2 (Timm Phillips)

: Team Gilson packing at TAT (Timm Phillips)

: Team Gilson doing their park briefing (Timm Phillips)

So far so good in Alaska this season! Here’s the latest:

Team Dale is making their way up the Kahiltna Glacier. The team is camped at 9500′ and is making their move to 11K Camp. This is one of the first big milestones in their journey! From 11K the team will rest and start making carries up to 14K over the next few days with a move to 14K Camp on the horizon.

Team Gilson is flying onto the glacier this morning. The team has had two productive days in Anchorage and Talkeetna making their final preparations and packing up. They’re all ready to launch onto the Kahiltna Glacier!

Team Sackett is arriving in Anchorage today! The team will spend their day doing gear checks and making final shopping trips if needed while they still have access to the city. Tomorrow AM they will travel to Talkeetna where they will meet with the NPS and weigh their baggage.

Team 4 (Team Baldwin) and Team 5 (Team Stewart) haven’t left Ashford yet but will be leaving in the next week or so! We’re in the final stages of preparations and guide briefings with those two teams back at home.