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

Perfect Spring Weather for the Final 2018 Denali Seminar

April 22, 2018

Great view in perfect weather from Lower Cornice Camp (Dustin Balderach)

Clear blue skies and moderate temperatures met IMG’s final 2018 Denali Seminar as they arrived in Paradise on Sunday. In fact, if the forecast holds they should receive beautiful weather the whole week as they work their way up the mountain. Fingers crossed!

Already today the team has covered some basic knots, fixed rope ascension, sled rigging and are on their way to the first camp. These Seminars are always chock full of learning experiences, regardless of weather.Â Bad weather dials in your camp and self care skills, while good weather should allow this team to complete significant work on their technical skills. Its day one of a long trip and you can’t ask for a better start!

Robert Jantzen

2018 Pricing On Spring 2019 Everest Programs

April 16, 2018

Trekking above Pheriche (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)

Our 2018 Everest Expedition is in full swing. Teams are on the move in the Khumbu Valley every day now. For those of you following along, with your eyes on 2019, you’ve got two weeks to take advantage of our 2018 pricing!

While the 2019 Everest dates are set, prices will be going up for the Spring 2019 Everest programs (Everest, Lhotse, Lobuche, EBCÂ Treks). Thereâ€™s just no way around it. The good news is that for climbers and trekkers who are ready to sign up forÂ 2019 Everest programs, we are extending the current 2018 prices until MayÂ 1,Â 2018.

Take a look at the dates for our 2019 Everest Programs and give it some thought. Drop us a line if youâ€™re interested!

Tye Chapman

Training on Rainier at its Best

April 13, 2018

: Expedition Style Camp (Nathan Berry)

: Snow Walls Protect the Cook Tent from Harsh Winds (Conrad Wharton)

: Learning to Negotiate Fixed Ropes (Conrad Wharton)

: Lead Guide Nickel Wood Demonstrating Fixed Rope Ascension at IMG HQ in Ashford (Nathan Berry)

As always Rainier has provided a great training venue this week. Snowy winter weather, wind, and variable terrain gave our Denali Seminar team exposure to all aspects of expedition climbing. Over the last 6 days they’ve experienced expedition camp maintenance, crevasse rescue scenarios, navigation training, fixed rope courses and, of course, the joys of sled hauling.

Yesterday the weather had the last word and lead guide Nickel Wood made the call to bring the team out a day early. Today they’re focusing on the details of more advanced haul systems used to extricate climbers from a crevasse in the comfort of our Ashford HQ training facilities.

Nice work team!

Robert Jantzen