That’s A Wrap For The 2018 Cho Oyu Expedition

October 5, 2018

2018 IMG Sherpa Team at the Kyirong Border (Dallas Glass)

Ang Jangbu Sherpa checked in to let us know that our IMG Sherpa Team, along with IMG Senior Guide Dallas Glass, have arrived back in Kathmandu.Â That finishes up the 2018 Cho Oyu Expedition!

We want to thank everyone for following along with the blog and supporting our Cho Oyu Team.Â This was a great team and we are happy to have them back to Kathmandu.

If you are thinking about joining our 2019 Cho Oyu Expedition, the time is now!

Greg Vernovage

Safari Celebration Dinner

October 5, 2018

: The Ngorongoro Crater (Tye Chapman)

: Buffalo in Ngorongoro Crater (Dustin Balderach)

: Hippo Pool in Ngorongoro Crater (Dustin Balderach)

: Safari Celebration Dinner (Andy Polloczek)

Andy Polloczek checked in from Tanzania this morning (his evening) reporting that the team had a great time in the Ngorongoro Crater. The size (16km x 19km) and the sheer diversity of wildlife in the crater surprised the team the most. After spending the bulk of the day in the crater they made their way to the crater rim to their luxury lodge for the night. After getting cleaned up they enjoyed one last dinner as a team.

Tomorrow they will relax in the morning, then make their way to Arusha in the afternoon, and eventually to the Kilimanjaro Airport (JRO) for their evening flights home.

That’s a wrap for our September Kilimanjaro climbs! See you again in December!

Tye Chapman

Gokyo –>Thagnak –> Cho La –> Dzongla –> Dingboche

October 5, 2018

: Ama Dablam 6856m (Nate Berry)

: Cholatse 6440m (Nate Berry)

: Crossing Cho La 5420m (Nate Berry)

: Trekking from Dzongla to Dingboche (Nate Berry)

: Palden pointing towards Cho La (Nate Berry)

: Ama Dablam looming in the background (Nate Berry)

: A little scrambling up Cho La (Nate Berry)

: Crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier (Nate Berry)

Let’s catch you up with our Island + Mera Peak Private Team. They enjoyed the Gokyo area tremendously, but have enjoyed the subsequent trekking to Dingboche just as much. The first move was from Gokyo across the Ngozumpa Glacier to Thagnak.Â This is a relatively short but extremely enjoyable day and set them up nicely for the following day, which took them from Thagnak up and over Cho La (5420m mountain pass) to Dzongla.Â Crossing Cho La is a tough day, but the views from the pass are incredible. Once on top of the pass the team took a good break, but had to get moving once the winds picked up and the clouds closed in on them. Luckily the trek down to Dzongla goes pretty quickly, and the breathing is certainly easier!

After the big day crossing Cho La, the 4-5 hours from snowy Dzongla to Dingboche was a perfect amount of trekking. They’ll rest up in Dingboche, sleep in tomorrow, then make their way up to Chukkung, another 4-5 hour day.

All is well in the Nepal!

Tye Chapman

Moshi –> Arusha –> Serengeti

October 3, 2018

Yup that’s a fanny pack! (Andy Polloczek)

These guys clean up real nice! As you can see they’re all shined up and ready for their flight to the Serengeti. No word from Andy this afternoon, but it’s a pretty safe bet they had a heck of a day on their afternoon game drive before heading to our wilderness camp for showers and a nice dinner. I wouldn’t be surprised if they sat around a campfire under the stars. Sounds pretty nice!

Tye Chapman

Gokyo –> Thagnak

—–Original Message—–
From: Nathan Berry
Sent: Wednesday, October 3, 2018 3:46 AM
To: Tye Chapman
Subject: Gokyo to Thagnak

: Crossing the Ngozumpa Glacier (Nate Berry)

: Leaving Gokyo with Cho Oyu in the distance (Nate Berry)

Tye,

We had an easy day today, taking 2.5 hours to cross the longest glacier in the Himalaya, the Ngozumpa Glacier. We arrived in Thagnak for lunch and plan to get an early start tomorrow, having breakfast by 5:30am.

The team is looking forward to the challenge of climbing up and over Cho La (17,485ft) and getting to Dzongla.

Nate

IMG Adds A New Member To The Family

October 3, 2018

: Cassidy Picket Haft

: Cassidy Picket Haft

: Mike & Kim Haft

: Cassidy & Darwin

If you’ve climbed Rainier with IMG over the years there’s a good chance you’ve climbed with either Mike Haft or Kim Haft… or possibly both! Even if you haven’t climbed with Mike or Kim, we’re sure you’ll join us in congratulating them on the new addition to their family! Cassidy Picket Haft was born on September 21st at 12:16am. He weighed in at 8lbs 8oz and was 20.5 inches long.Â Mike, Kim and their pup Darwin are head over heels in love with the little guy.

We’re a family here at IMG, anytime we get a new addition to the family is a time to celebrate!

Congratulations to Kim, Mike and Darwin!

Tye Chapman

Island + Mera Peak Team Climb Gokyo Ri

October 2, 2018

: Views like these never get old! (Nate Berry)

: Everest (Nate Berry)

: Palden Sherpa out in front (Nate Berry)

IMG Guide Nate Berry checked in from Gokyo this morning reporting that he and his team had an absolutely perfect day climbing Gokyo Ri (17,570ft.). The views of Cho Oyu, Lhotse, Everest and the surrounding glaciers took their collective breaths away!

Next up for this team is a move to Thagnak before the big push up and over Cho La Pass (17,485ft.) to Dzongla.

This team is having a blast!

Tye Chapman

Kilimanjaro Team Ready For Safari

October 2, 2018

: The ‘before’ picture. (Thomas Joseph)

: Wet but still happy! (Thomas Joseph)

: A team effort! (Thomas Joseph)

: Summit certificates in hand! (Andy Polloczek)

IMG Senior Guide Andy Polloczek checked in today from the hotel in Moshi. He and the team had already showered up and were toasting to a great climb of Kilimanjaro. The festivities continued into the night with their celebration dinner…The 3+ days of rain are now a distant, though vivid, memory. The feeling of standing on top of Kilimanjaro in near perfect conditions will surly prevail as the memory of choice for this team.

Up next is the well-earned safari! They’ll be picked up at their hotel at 8am and whisked away to the small domestic airport in Arusha. From there they’ll fly in a small airplane to a dirt runway in the Serengeti. It’s a surreal feeling to get in a plane and an hour later you’re surrounded by zebras, elephants, giraffes and of course the big cats!

Needless to say this team will continue celebrating for a few more days. They’ve earned it.

Tye Chapman

2019 Denali Dates Released

October 2, 2018

A great view of Foraker from high on Denali (Mike Haft)

As we mentioned in May, IMG Denali, LLC was awarded a 10-year contract to guide in Denali National Park. Since this announcement we’ve been hard at work planning and organizing our 2019 climbs and we’re ready to announce our dates and get things rolling for 2019! We expect these programs to sell out quickly, so if Denali has been on your radar, now is the time to jump onboard an expedition to The Great One.

Each of our four departures will be led by world-class guides at a 2:1 ratio. Take a look at the dates below, block off your calendar and get ready for an expedition of a lifetime. Questions? Send Denali Program Director Luke Reilly anÂ email!

2019 Denali Expeditions
May 12-June 2, 2019
May 19-June 9, 2019
May 26-June 16, 2019
June 16-July 7, 2019

Island + Mera Peak Team Enjoying Gokyo

October 1, 2018

: Gokyo region (Nate Berry)

: 2nd Lake, Gokyo and Cho Oyu in the distance (Nate Berry)

: Gokyo in the afternoon (Nate Berry)

: It doesn’t get any better (Nate Berry)

: Cho Oyu in the distance (Nate Berry)

: Hiking towards 5th Lake (Nate Berry)

Our Island + Mera Peak Private Team is enjoying all that the Gokyo Region has to offer. On Saturday they left Phortse and moved up to Machermo, Sunday they trekked from Machermo to Gokyo where they spent some time exploring. They trekked up to 5th Lake to for views of 8201m Cho Oyu, the 6th tallest mountain in the world. Tomorrow they may climb 5357m Gokyo Ri for views of Cho Oyu, Lhotse and Everest… or they might just kick back and relax. Either way they’re having a blast!

As a sidenote, if you’re planning on trekking to Everest Base Camp, give some thought to climbing over Cho La Pass and exploring the Gokyo Region. If the calendar and the wallet allow, it’s well worth the effort. If you don’t believe me, take a look at the photos!

Tye Chapman