Get Lost In The Mountains Of Peru

May 8, 2018

: Not a bad campsite! (John Hodder))

: Lago Churup (John Hodder)

: Views in every direction! (John Hodder)

: Punta Cuyoc (John Hodder)

I trekked the Cordillera Huayhuash for the first time last summer and quickly fell in love with the region.Â The mountains are tucked away in the Peruvian Andes, and are home to some of Peru’s most remote peaks and most beautiful landscapes (in my opinion!).

Trekking through the range, you get to know these mountains by climbing up high passes and skirting their glacially fed rivers and lakes.Â With our itinerary, the pace is such that you can feel accomplished at the end of a day of hiking, but not so wiped out that you can’t enjoy the great views and take the time to look around and appreciate where you are.Â You get the luxury of burro support and a cook team, which means our camps and meals are taken care of, and you only need to carry a day’s worth of layers and food for the trail.Â The route itself is unique – you’ll be on very remote trails, yet you’ll pass through farming villages, seasonal grazing lands, and abandoned ruins.Â You get to see a full spectrum of ecology and plant and animal life as we pass through multiple elevations and ecosystems.Â You also get to see the highest peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash from various angles, as we circumnavigate the large peaks of the zone.Â A highlight is getting to one of our highest passes, San Antonio, and walking out the long valley towards the mountain town of Huayllapa, a beautiful meander along river beds, lush farmlands, waterfalls and wildflowers.Â And finally, you get to know the culture of Peru more intimately than just a passerby with our local Peruvian guide and support staff telling stories and providing context as we go along.

It’s also worth mentioning that the Huayhuash Trek is a great trip to see how your body handles higher altitudes.Â We have the benefit of getting two full days to acclimatize in Huaraz, at 10,000feet, with day hikes to higher elevations, and then begin our trek at around 12,000feet, with gradual altitude gains and losses for the next 12 days.

So, whether you’re looking to build your high altitude trekking repertoire, or just want to get lost in the mountains for a while, I’d highly recommend this trip.Â It’s one of my favorites!

Betsy Dain-Owens

Mt. Rainier Climbing Season Is Here

May 7, 2018

: The Muir Set-up team with the frame to the weatherport done. (Andy Polloczek)

: Warm and cozy after setting up the weatherport. (Andy Polloczek)

: Our first team of the season. (Rob Jantzen)

Over the weekend several IMG Guides made their way up to Camp Muir to put the final piece of the preseason puzzle together…the weatherport. The weatherport is a temporary 12ft. x 15ft. structure that we use for team meals, guide sleeping and the storage of some of the needed climbing equipment for the season.Â For anybody who had climbed with us via the DC Route, they can attest to the weatherport as a great place to enjoy some of our famous burritos or pancakes & bacon.Â The guides knocked it out of the park and got it set-up in pretty good time… or at least very good timing as they pulled into the parking lot just as the forecasted thunderstorms arrived.

While they were making their way down from Paradise, our first climbers of the season were getting their orientation & gear check from IMG Chief Guide Justin Merle.Â Everyone was well prepared, and after a few rentals, were ready to go!Â This morning the team came together again, this time to load up and head up to Paradise to start our first Mt. Rainier climb of the 2019 season. Luke Reilly is in the lead and is assisted by Anna Hicks, Willie Webster and Rikki Dunn.

It’s going to be another great summer on Mt. Rainier!

Tye Chapman

New Guides Learning The Ropes On Mt. Rainier

May 2, 2018

: All smiles before heading up to Paradise. (Justin Merle)

: En route to Camp Muir. (Luke Reilly)

The first IMG climb of the Mt. Rainier season is just a few days away and we’re not letting those days go to waste. This morning our newly hired guides gathered at IMG for our annual new guide training.Â The goal for these three days is to get them up to speed and comfortable with how we run our programs on Mt. Rainier, and also for them to get to know Mt. Rainier a little (lot) better. The morning coffee was spent going over the weather, making a route plan and discussing the goals of the next three days.

Route plans in hand they loaded up the van and went up to Paradise. The afternoon will be spent going over some of the guide specific geography between Paradise and Camp Muir. They’ll also go over when and where we take breaks and teach specific techniques (i.e. the rest step and pressure breathing).Â Once at Camp Muir they’ll get the lay of the land and learn our protocols, along with some additional technical training over the next couple days.

They’re in good hands with IMG Senior Guides Luke Reilly, Mike Haft leading the way, along with Jay Lyons assisting.

Tye Chapman

Weekend Guide Training Wrap-up

April 30, 2018

: Sunday’s classroom. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: Justin Merle giving some instructions. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: Rescue practice. (Jordan Cohen)

: What a team! (Robert Jantzen)

Every spring IMG Guides come together for our annual Guide Training weekend just before the start of the Rainier climbing season. This year we packed the room with 37 Guides.Â Saturday is typically reserved for getting to know the new guides (10 this year), discussing any new protocols, a refresher on driving the vans & trailers, and a brush-up on Leave No Trace ethics. After the day wrapped up it was time to crack open a beer, have a burger, relax, and really get to know the new guides, as well as catch-up with old friends after a long, long winter.

Sunday is a field day, so the guides loaded up in the vans and went up to Paradise to work on beacon search & recovery, crevasse rescue as well as a few different litter rescue scenarios. This weekend is a great transition/switching of gears for guides who have been on big expeditions and/or on skis for the better part of the winter.

The training continues for the new guides later this week with our New Guide Training. Chief Guide Justin Merle along with Guide Supervisors Luke Reilly and Mike Haft will take the new guides through the paces to show them the IMG ropes (pardon the pun). This typically starts out with some route planning followed by a trip up to Camp Muir. Thursday and Friday are reserved for some more technical training and if there’s time, a summit climb.

The weather looks good for the foreseeable future so we’re off to a great start to the 2018 Rainier Climbing season. Our first climb of the season hits the Muir Snowfield in one week!

Tye Chapman

That’s A Wrap For The Denali Prep Seminar

April 27, 2018

: Crevasse Rescue Training at Camp Muir (Jonathan Schrock)

: Is there a better place to learn? (Jonathan Schrock)

: Working their way up Muir Peak via a fixed line. (Jonathan Schrock)

: Fixed line training (Jonathan Schrock)

Our final Denali Prep Seminar sipped on coffee this morning at Camp Muir enjoying their last views of the trip. The walk down the Muir Snowfield took them into the clouds below and back to reality. Once down at Paradise they loaded up the van and made their way back to Ashford for a team debrief and some showers.

All smiles at Camp Muir this morning. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

This wraps up the winter season for IMG on Mt. Rainier. The good news is that the climbing season starts tomorrow with our annual Guide Training. The week that follows is pretty busy with our New Guide Training, Muir Set-up, and the first climb of the season on May 6th.

Here we go!

Tye Chapman

Denali Prep Seminar Enjoying A Great Week

April 26, 2018

: Sunrise on the Cowlitz Glacier. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: IMG Guide Jonathan Schrock leading his team through the Cathedral Gap. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: The team taking at break near The Flats. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

The photos pretty much say it all. The great weather continues for the Denali Prep Seminar on Mt. Rainier. Lead Guide Betsy Dain-Owens reports that her team took a walk across the Cowlitz Glacier, though the Cathedral Gap, up to The Flats to take a look at the upper mountain. While tempted to keep going, they opted to enjoy the view and let the recent warm-up keep the upper hand. They’re all back at Camp Muir continuing to train on technical skills while enjoying the views of the Mt. Adams and the Tatoosh Mountains.

Tye Chapman

Training Day At Camp Muir

April 25, 2018

View From The Camp Muir Webcam 4.25.18

Lead Guide Betsy Dain-Owens checked in from Camp Muir reporting more good weather for her Denali Prep Seminar. The team is taking full advantage of the weather by doing some crevasse rescue training today along with some fixed line work on Muir Peak.

We’re two weeks from the start of the Rainier climbing season! It can’t get here soon enough with weather like this!

Tye Chapman

Denali Prep Seminar At Camp Muir

April 24, 2018

: Not a bad camp! (Betsy Dian-Owens)

: Denali Prep Camp 1 (Betsy Dain Owens)

: View from Camp 1 (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: Long ways to go. (Betsy Dain-Owens)

: Working the Muir Snowfield. (Jonathan Schrock)

: Camp Muir. Looking west from the public shelter to the Gombu. Lots of snow! (Betsy Dain-Owens)

IMG Senior Guide Betsy Dain-Owens reports that the good weather continues on Mt. Rainier! The team had a great day of training around their first camp yesterday and opted to take advantage of the good weather and head up to Camp Muir today.Â Getting up to Camp Muir this time of year is a big day so that was pretty much their only goal for today.

Mission accomplished…sort of. Once at Muir they still had a little bit of work to do! Snow has blown in and blocked some of the doors and buildings around Muir. One surefire way to keep warm at Camp Muir is to pick up a shovel. The good news is that there are plenty of shovels to go around.

All is well on Mt. Rainier!

Tye Chapman

Denali Prep Seminar Soaking In The Sun On Mt. Rainier

April 23, 2018

IMG Senior Guide Betsy Dain-Owens checked in by radio from the lower slopes of Mt. Rainier today. Her report was that the Denali Prep Seminar team is having an absolute blast in the good weather. Their plan for today is to work on some of the fundamentals (ice axe arrest, cramponing, and rope travel) then branch out into some companion rescue training with their avalanche beacons.

Mount Rainier Recreational Forecast
National Weather Service Seattle WA
333 AM PDT Mon Apr 23 2018

.SYNOPSIS…An upper ridge will build over the park today and
remain through Thursday, bringing a stretch of sunny and warm
days. Offshore flow will result in the warmest weather since last
September. An upper level low will approach from the south late
in the week bringing a return to more seasonal weather for the
weekend.

Tye Chapman

Justin Merle Promoted To Chief Guide

April 23, 2018

: Justin Merle (Paul Pottinger)

: Justin Merle (Sarah Cousins Hoopes)

: Justin Merle and fellow IMG Guide Emily Johnston (Paul Pottinger)

Justin Merle began guiding on Mt. Rainer in 1999 and hasnâ€™t stopped.Â Since his first climb as a guide, heâ€™s accumulated over 160 summits of Mt. Rainier and countless other summits here in the Great Pacific Northwest and worldwide, including seven summits of Mt. Everest. Merle, an AMGA certified Alpine Guide, has shown tremendous leadership over the years and he has earned the position of Chief Guide.Â The Chief Guide role at IMG has been held by Justinâ€™s good friend, mentor and longtime guide, IMG Partner George Dunn.

â€œIâ€™m delighted to pass on the role of Chief Guide to veteran IMG Guide Justin Merle. Justin has been with IMG from the start and he is a proven guide with experience based on years of leading programs around the world. Most importantly, Justin has the respect and friendship of the entire guide staff at IMG.â€ – George Dunn

In this new role for Justin, heâ€™ll direct our great team of Guide Supervisors, oversee new guide hiring, training and ongoing guide development. Additionally, throughout the Rainier season Merle will consult with the IMG staff as well as the National Park Service and the other Rainier Guide Services on mountain conditions, route development and risk management on the mountain.

â€œIâ€™m humbled to be named Chief Guide at IMG. Iâ€™ve looked up to George Dunn, Phil Ershler and Eric Simonson since my first climb in 1999. Theyâ€™ve been great leaders, mentors, bosses and friends. Iâ€™m looking forward to these new responsibilities, especially working with the guide staff. If thereâ€™s one thing I know, it’s that we can all be better guides, and that starts this weekend with our Spring Guide Training. Time to get to work!â€ – Justin Merle

While Merle has been promoted to Chief Guide, George Dunn isnâ€™t going anywhere. Heâ€™ll continue to oversee the entire Rainier Program at IMG. Look for George and Justin on the snowfield this summer!

Tye Chapman