Machu Picchu trekkers head to Ollantaytambo

August 22, 2024

The team at Ollantaytambo (Tyler Nachand)

Visiting Ollantaytambo (Tyler Nachand)

At the llama and alpaca farm (Tyler Nachand)

Tyler reports the Inca Trail trek team had a nice day today, driving north from Cusco and then dropping down a bit lower into the Sacred Valley of the Urubamba River. This was a very important part of the Inca Empire and is the home of many fantastic archeological and cultural sites. Today the team toured Pisac and the Ollantaytambo ruins, and are staying at a hotel in the town of Ollantaytambo. Along the way they also stopped at the llama and alpaca farm, where wool is made into local handicrafts. The team is excited to start trekking, and tomorrow they will be heading to the start of the Inca Trail!

Inca Trail Trekkers enjoying Cusco

August 21, 2024

Evening in Cusco on the Plaza de Armas (Tyler Nachand)

Intricate stonework in Cusco (Eric Simonson)

Machu Picchu trekkers and Cusco (Tyler Nachand)

Tyler Nachand and Maximo traveled to Cusco after the Huayhuash trek wrapped up, and they have now met up with our first (of two) trek teams doing the Inca Trail route to Machu Picchu. Today was an easy day, visiting some of the sights around Cusco. Since they are at about 11,000 feet, its good to take it slow for the first couple days! They visited Qorikancha, Saksaywaman, Q’enqo, Tambomachay and Puka Pukara. Later in the day, after lunch, they visited the Cathedral and Plaza de Armas (central square). All’s well in Peru!

Huayhuash Trekkers are back to Huaraz

August 16, 2024

Jirishanca by moonlight from Jahuacocha (Tyler Nachand)

2024 IMG Huayhuash Trek team (Tyler Nachand)

Today the team wrapped up their trek with a final day on the trail. Last night at their camp at Jahuacocha (13,300′) they had a gorgeous nighttime view of Jirishanca by moonlight. Then, this morning they were up early for a traverse of the Pampa Llamac Pass (14,048′) before descending down to the village of Llamac where their vehicles awaited them for the drive back to Huaraz. Over the last week and a half the team encircled the Cordillera Huayhuash, crossing 8 high passes and seeing some incredible mountain scenery. Congrats to everyone starting with our Peruvian guide Maximo, the two mule drivers Jesus and Vayu, chef Jacinto and assistant Richard, Tyler and our six stalwart trekkers John and Juhn, James, Alexander, Ellen and Catherine. Tomorrow they will be heading back to Lima and connecting to their flights homeward. Well done team!

Huayhuash trekkers gone fishing!

August 15, 2024

Jahuacocha from Yauche with Rondoy and Jirishanca rising above (John Hodder)

Tyler Nachand reports that the team are excited to have done their eighth and final “big” day of trekking. From their camp at Gashpapampa (14,840’) the team traversed around Diablo Mudo Peak, then up and over the summit of Punta Yauche (15,825’). From there it was a gradual descent down to Lake Jahuacocha (13,300’). Their camp tonight is by a tributary stream, where they were able to do some bathing and also some fishing! He said they caught several trout to add to their dinner tonight and they are enjoying the scenery with great views of the famous peaks of Rondoy, Jirishanca and the Cordillera Huayhuash. Tomorrow they will finish the trek and travel back to Huaraz. Well done team, you are almost finished!

Huayhuash Trekker cross San Antonio Pass

August 14, 2024

Huayhuash trekkers at the San Antonio Pass (Tyler Nachand)

Tyler Nachand checked in to report the team had a nice hike from Hatun Cuyoc over San Antonio Pass (16,400′) and then back down into the Callinca Valley to the camp near the village of Huayllapa, at 11,500′. The weather was good and the mountain views incredible! After a big day of trekking everyone was excited to drop down to a lower altitude for a good night’s sleep.

IMG Guides Establish a New Route to Mt Rainier Summit

Aug 12, 2024 –

We are very proud to say that our IMG guides have established and prepared a new route to the summit of Mt Rainier. Over the last week they have put in about 25 “guide days” of work to scout, establish and prepare the route so that on Sunday our 3.5 day climb team could do the round trip. A big shout out to lead guides Max Bond and Porter McMichael who did 4 days of recon last week, to lead guide Peter Dale and his team that descended the route on Wednesday to get it kicked in better, and to Angie Diana, Maia Critchlow, Jackson Hall, Jacob Barstow and Paal Bredal for putting the finishing touches chopping and shoveling on it the last three days so that lead guide Stuart Johnson and his team could ascend and descend it yesterday. Well done, guides, way to think outside the box!

: IMG’s route work team on the Emmons Shoulder Route (Porter McMichael)

: IMG’s climbing team on the summit via the Emmons Shoulder Route on Sunday (Stu Johnson)

: IMG Emmons Shoulder Route

The “IMG Route” departs Ingraham Flats descending to the base of the Cleaver about 350 vertical feet, there is no need to first ascend to “High Crack”. There are a couple fixed ropes on the new route, but no ladders are needed at this time. The guides are also working on a variation from Muir via the “Low Gap” across Cathedral Rocks linking the Cowlitz Glacier and the Ingraham Glacier lower down so an ascent to the Ingraham Flats will not be necessary. Stay tuned for more!

Huayhuash Trekkers cross another high pass

August 12th, 2024

: IMG Huayhuash trekkers at the 3 Lakes viewpoint near Siula Pass (Tyler Nachand)

: IMG Huayhuash trekkers approach Lagoon Viconga camp (John Hodder)

After crossing the Siula Pass yesterday, Tyler reports that the team had another spectacular day of high altitude trekking, a bit shorter than the previous days. Today they climbed up and over the Paso Portachuelo (15,670’) and then dropped down to the Lagoon Viconga camp at 14,470. The team is on schedule and each day are becoming better acclimatized, so each pass is a bit easier than the previous one.

With the support of our team of donkey and mule arrieros, who expertly manage the dozen or so pack animals carrying the loads, along with the cook crew and guides Tyler and Michel, they are having a fantastic time!

Huayhuash Trekkers cross Siula Pass

August 11, 2024

: On the approach to the Siula Pass (John Hodder)

: The teams donkeys in camp at Lagoon Carhuacocha (John Hodder)

: Huayhuash Camp (John Hodder)

Tyler Nachand reports that the Huayhuash team had another great day of trekking, starting from the Lagoon Carhuacocha camp and climbing up and over the famous Siula Pass (15,740’) and then descending to the Huayhuash Camp (14,100’). They had some clouds and precipitation up on the pass in the form of graupel, but by the time they reached the camp the weather had cleared up. After multiple 6-8 hour trek days so far, tomorrow the team is looking forward to a slightly easier day. All’s well in Peru!

Peru Huayhuash trekkers reach Lagoon Carhuacocha

August, 10th, 2024

: Sulia Grande and Yerupaja from Lagoon Carhuachoca (John Hodder)

: Camp at Lagoon Carhuacocha (John Hodder)

Tyler Nachand called on the sat phone to report that the team had another beautiful day of trekking. Everyone is acclimatizing normally and doing well. From Mitucocha they climbed up over the Carhuac Pass (14,250’) and then descended down to the Lagoon Carhuacocha (13,700’) for the night. Now they are camped right at the foot of Sulia Grande and Yerupaja, two of the most famous and spectacular peaks in the Huayhuash Range. Sulia Grande was made famous by the “Touching the Void” ascent of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, back in 1985, while Yerupaja is the second highest in Peru (after Huascaran) and the highest in the Huayhuash Range. All’s well in Peru!

Huayhuash trekkers reach Mitucocha Camp

August 9, 2024

En route to camp near Laguna Mitucocha (John Hodder)

It’s been a busy two days for the Huayhuash trekkers in Peru. IMG guide Tyler Nachand and the team are doing well, and are now “off the grid” and checking in by satellite phone. On Wednesday the team departed Huaraz and drove to the town of Llamac, and then continued to Cuartelwayin, at 13,800 ft for their first night on the trek. On Thursday, the team started with an uphill ascent to their first pass (Paso CCaccananpunta) at 15,400 ft, before dropping down into a fertile valley, around a ridge, and then up to their second camp slightly below Laguna Mitucocha, at about 14,000 ft. The weather has been excellent, perfect for trekking and the incredible views, a great way to start in the Huayhuash!