On Their Way and Right on Time

January 9th, 2018

IL76 at the Airport in Punta Arenas, Chile (Greg Vernovage)

Greg got off one last email before heading to the airport in Punta Arenas this morning.Â It’s a GO!Â On their way and right on time.

“We got the call that it is time to go!Â One last shower to wake up and down to the lobby to catch a ride to the airport for our flight to Union Glacier.Â This is great news, we are still on schedule and will be looking forward to getting to the ice and checking the possibility of hoping the next flight on the twin otter over to Vinson Base Camp.

This Team is great!Â Packing, weighing and loading has been a team effort and everyone is pitching in.Â Once we are on the mountain, it is important that everyone look after each other and pitch in when the it’s comes to work around camp.Â When everyone works as a team, the climb is fun and easier for everyone.”Â Â Greg Vernovage

Phil Ershler

Getting Ready for Base Camp

January 9, 2018

The Crew (Nickel Wood)

Rained like crazy in Mendoza last night.Â Very odd.Â Good news is that the team had no problem this morning and made the drive up to Penitentes.Â One night will be spent there getting loads ready for the mules and enjoying one last hotel night.Â Tomorrow, the 3 day hike to base camp begins.Â Mules carry all the heavy stuff, leaving team members able to enjoy the walk carrying only light packs.Â Thatâ€™s a good thing.Â Itâ€™s a way to acclimate.

No problems on Aconcagua.

Phil Ershler

Aconcagua Team 3 Ready for Action

January 8, 2018

IMG Guide Martin Lucero with Permits â€˜Almost in Handâ€™ (Rikki Dunn)

Itâ€™s busy season in South America still.Â One Mexico, one Ecuador, one Vinson, one Patagonia trek and two Aconcagua trips have already been completed BUT one MORE Mexico, one Ecuador, one Vinson, one Patagonia trek and three Aconcagua trips still remain.Â Busy is a good thing.

So, we wanted to check in with Team 3 on Aconcagua, led by Nickel Wood and assisted by Martin Lucero and Rikki Dunn.Â Guides arrived early and shopped/packed food and gear.Â The climber team all arrived by 7 January.Â Climbers have been getting over their jet lag, going through gear checks, out shopping for a few more â€˜snacksâ€™ for the trail and generally enjoying the city of Mendoza.Â Big team dinner tonight.Â Oh yeah, thereâ€™s always that issue of securing permits.Â As Nickel emailed today â€“ â€œclimbers and gear are accounted for and permits are secured.â€

Bottom line â€“ all the big preliminary details have been taken care of and team is ready to head out tomorrow for Penitentes.Â Iâ€™ll try to squeeze a team photo out of them for tomorrow.

Phil Ershler

Vinson Team 2 – Prepped and ready to go!

January 8, 2017

: Locked and almost Loaded (Greg Vernovage)

: Vinson Team 2 (Greg Vernovage)

Time to report on Vinson Massif again.Â Team 2 is in Punta and about ready to fly.Â Hereâ€™s todayâ€™s report from Greg Vernovage, Expedition Leader.Â Greg will be assisted by IMG Senior Guide, Luke Reilly.

â€œPhil,

The Vinson Team has now arrived with all of their gear to Punta Arenas.Â We finished our gear checks and re-packed for the flight to Union Glacier.Â This morning we sent the gear to the IL76 for loading and took a walk around town.Â The weather has been great!Â No wind and beautiful sunsets.Â

After lunch, the Team walked over to the center of the city and rubbed the famous toe at the Magellan Statue.Â This evening we will head over for the flight briefing and get our call time for flying in the morning.

There is a lot of hurry up, wait, pack and re-pack at the beginning of this trip.Â It is all worth it once we land on the Ice, the door opens and we start climbing in Antarctica!Â -Gregâ€

Phil Ershler

Ecuador Team on the Move

January 8, 2018

: Heading for Dinner (Emily Johnston)

: Hiking in the mist (Emily Johnston)

: Top of Imbabura (Emily Johnston)

Allâ€™s going well in Ecuador.Â Best news is that the entire team is now together.Â They spent the day adding to their acclimatization with a hike on Imbabura.Â Next objective is getting up to the hut on Cayambe.Â Cayambeâ€™s high enough that we still want some additional acclimating before attempting the summit.Â A couple of nights at the hut will help and allow for a technique review day. Â Lots of time on the crampons on Cayambe and the guides will want to make sure everyoneâ€™s ready.

So far, so good.

Phil Ershler

Patagonia Trek #1 Is A Wrap

January 8, 2018

: The zodiac ride out to the ice hike. (Luke Reilly)

: The team on their ice hike on the Grey Glacier. (Luke Reilly)

: The Grey III Boat. (Luke Reilly)

Over the weekend the first Patagonia Trek of the season wrapped up. From Refugio Grey, Luke and the team boarded the Grey III boat for the 2 hour ride… it’s a big lake. The boat takes them right up next to the the face of the glacier and even stops to snag a couple chunks of ice out of the water for pisco sours for the passengers. Not a bad way to wrap up the trek.

Once off the boat, their private van back to Puerto Natales was waiting. Upon arrival back in Natales it was transition time – quick showers and straight to the celebration dinner at Cormoran de Las Rocas. After a great dinner and a couple cocktails the team was in bed and up early yesterday for their ride back to Punta Arenas and their flights home.

Most of the team should be arriving home later today. Luke, on the other hand, is hanging around in Punta Arenas. He rendezvous’d (not a real word) with Greg Vernovage yesterday. He and Greg will be leading our final Vinson climb of the season.

Our next group of Patagonia Trekkers takes off in a few weeks.

Tye Chapman

IMG Team Finally Together in Ecuador

December 6, 2018

Romulo at the equator (Emily Johnston)

Lots has been going on since IMG guide, Emily Johnston, flew down to Ecuador to meet our Ecuadorian partner, Romulo Cardenas, and her team. Weâ€™ve been sweating the storm on the East Coast and for good reason: one of our members couldnâ€™t get â€˜out of Dodgeâ€™. But Lauren is the epitome of â€œno problemâ€. Nothing phased this woman as she waited, made flight changes, waited more, made more flight changes and simply never gave up. Today at noon, she arrived in Ecuador.

Meanwhile, the rest of the team had a bit of a head start on her. They toured Old Town Quito Thursday morning, with Romulo as their guide, and then headed north of the equator in the afternoon to the town of Otavalo. Saturday morning was a visit to the famous Indian crafts market there. Then, time to rally for an acclimatization hike up Fuyafuya.

Team atop Fuyafuya (care of Emily Johnston)

Now the team is complete. Lauren arrived and allâ€™s right with the world. More acclimatization, more training and then itâ€™s on to their first objective — Cayambe. WAY TO HANG IN THERE, LUAREN. And nice job cruising up Fuyafuya today, team.

Phil Ershler

Patagonia Team Enjoying The Grey Glacier

January 5, 2018

: Boat ride out to Islatak. (Tye Chapman)

: Walking around on Islatak. (Tye Chapman)

Well, Luke checked in today reporting that he and the team had a great day today. They spent the morning at the viewpoint just soaking things in as best they could. After lunch they headed out on a zodiac boat to Islatak.Â Islatak is a nunatak, which is an island/rock ridge/peak that protrudes above a glacier. In this case it is at the end of the glacier, splitting Grey Glacier as it hits the water. After about an hour walk, they put on harnesses, helmets and crampons and explored a bit.Â Deep blue rivers, tunnels and of course, crevasses were the highlights! I should get some photos from Luke tomorrow.

Tomorrow, morning they might jump in the kayaks. If not, they’ll hang out and just relax before getting on the ‘big boat’ for their ride back to their awaiting van back to Puerto Natales! We’re almost a wrap on the first Patagonia trek of the season.

Tye Chapman

Patagonia Trekkers At Refugio Grey

January 4, 2018

: Refugio Grey (Tye Chapman)

: One of the lookouts along the trail to Refugio Grey. Grey Glacier in the distance. (Tye Chapman)

After the long day on the trail yesterday the team enjoyed a shorter day today. At just 4 hours, the trek from Refugio Paine Grande to Refugio Grey is quite enjoyable. The trek starts out winding through a canyon of sorts before cresting onto a high trail above Lago Grey. From high above you can see large icebergs drifting in the massive lake. There are some great viewpoints along the way which I’m sure the team took full advantage of.

IMG Guide Luke Reilly reports that they’re settling in nicely (two night here), with plans to relax this afternoon. Tomorrow morning, weather permitting, they’ll go for a kayak tour and get right up next to the Grey Glacier.Â After lunch, they’ll head up the trail to get a nice view of the glacier from above.

All continues to go well in Patagonia!

Tye Chapman

2018 Everest & Lhotse Season Is Starting!

January 4, 2018

: An unofficial/official marker for IMG’s 2018 EBC. (Photo by PK Sherpa)

: IMG Sherpa Guides Pasang Kami and Chhewang Lendu at IMG’s 2018 Everest Base Camp (Photo by PK Sherpa)

IMG Sherpa Guides Pasang Kami and Chhewang Lendu trekked up from Phortse to claim IMG’s Everest Base Camp for the 2018 Season.Â On their way, they stopped off at our storage facility in Gorakshep to check on gear and put a charge on the batteries that are so important to the Team at Everest Base Camp.Â With clear and sunny conditions, PK and Chewwang hooked up 16 batteries to the solar panels.Â Great conditions for charging!

After hooking up the solar panels, they headed to EBC. Establishing the IMG Everest Base Camp early is important because of its location and proximity to clean water that we have found.Â The water source is still there and our EBC is in great condition.

At IMG headquarters in the USA, the Oxygen tanks have been filled and will be heading towards Kathmandu soon.Â We are also sorting the food and gear that we will need for this Spring.Â Purchase, sort, repack and make notes: The Spring Everest Season is kicking off soon!

Greg Vernovage