April 4, 2017
The winter climbing is winding down now in New Hampshire and the guides are looking ahead to other climbs in distant areas. On to the next challenge!
George Dun
Things are really starting to pick up in Nepal. The first wave of Everest guides, climbers and trekkers are arriving in Kathmandu today. IMG Expedition Leader Greg Vernovage and IMG Guide Dallas Glass arrived earlier this morning (Pacific Standard Time)…with all of their duffels. Always a great way to start an expedition.  Their primary objective is to get to bed to start the process of getting their internal clocks on the right time zone! Kathmandu is +12hrs 45min from local time here in Washington State, so it’s an adjustment to say the least!
Over the weekend they’ll take care of some logistical odds and ends and jump into gear checks as additional climbers & trekkers arrive. If all goes as planned Team 1 will fly from Kathmandu to Lukla on Monday to start their trek to Everest Base Camp.
For full 2017 Everest Expedition Coverage click here.
Tye Chapman
March 22, 2017
George Dunn
March 21, 2017
Perfect Training Conditions
As spring comes in at lower elevations, winter remains up high on Mt. Rainier. Lead guide Nickel Wood and our Denali Prep Seminar are having perfect weather to train for Denali. By that of course we mean cold temps, a bit of wind and of course great Pacific Northwest snow!
As the weather moves through, the team is getting a great chance to practice expedition skills in conditions like what they’ll experience in the greater ranges. They’re focusing on sled hauling, camp construction and maintenance as well as crevasse rescue and rope skills. Exactly the type of training you want before heading to Denali or any high altitude peak!
Robert Jantzen
March 10, 2017
“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.” – Vince Lombardi
Lead guide Craig John spent a second weekend with Justin C. doing some final training for the upcoming Everest expedition. Here you see Justin working on fixed rope technique on moderate angle ice. Just like it will be heading up the fixed ropes on the Lhotse Face! Mt Washington and the ice climbs in New Hampshire are great training grounds for Everest or any big mountain expedition.
George Dunn
March 3, 2017
It’s been a great week of training here on Mount Rainier with the Denali Prep Seminar! We have three guides (Charlotte, Rikki, and Anna) and five team members (who have come from around the world.) There’s been lots of precipitation, but we’ve been making the most of the snowy winter conditions to get our team totally dialed for all their future endeavors.
Highlights of the week: lots of skills training, an expedition-style winter camp on the Muir Snowfield, some fun avalanche/beacon/transceiver exercises, lots of rope work, and some delicious breakfast burritos with hash browns and bacon.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there’s a reason that Mount Rainier is one of the best alpine training areas to test your skills before heading to bigger objectives. Winter mountaineering isn’t easy, but these conditions get your skills up and running faster than just about anywhere else in the world.
Charlotte Austin
March 3, 2017
We heard from IMG senior guide Emily Johnston that the team had another great day of game viewing on their final day of the safari.  They left the Serengeti in the morning, visited Olduvai Gorge along the way, and then made their way to Ngorongoro Crater for an afternoon game drive. It’s hard to put Ngorongoro Crater into words. In a nutshell, it is a large volcanic caldera which is chock full of nearly every type of big game that East Africa is known for.  This makes it super interesting both from an animal density viewpoint as well as a geological viewpoint, and you always see something different and unique here. To top it off, there is a seasonal lake in the middle of the Crater which is often filled with thousands of flamingos.  The day wrapped up for the team at their luxurious safari lodge, just outside the Crater and surrounded by coffee plantations.
Tomorrow the team will take a relaxed morning to enjoy the safari lodge and grounds, before they head back to Arusha, no doubt stopping for some souvenir shopping en route.  After picking up their duffels of smelly Kili gear and doing a quick repack, the team will grab a late lunch and then continue on to the airport for their evening flights home. This has been another incredibly fun trip to follow. 100% of the team stood on the Roof of Africa and then they spent 3 days on safari seeing untold amounts of wildlife.  As the long rainy season sets in over in Tanzania we take a break from Kili, but come June when the rains stop, we’ll be at it again.  We hope you can follow along on our summer and fall Kilimanjaro programs!
Dustin Balderach
March 3, 2017
Orizaba crater
100% is a nice number. Josh just called in from Mexico. Very nice climb this morning on Pico de Orizaba with all members and guides on the summit. Team was strong, climbing conditions were good and the weather cooperated. Team is already back at the hut and packed up. They’re loading the truck now for their return to the village of Tlachichuca, to waiting hot showers, cold drinks and a warm dinner. Life is good in Mexico….literally and figuratively.
Phil Ershler
March 2, 2017
Beautiful Mount Rainier (Photo: Luke Reilly)
At 118 years old, everybody here at IMG doesn’t think Mount Rainier looks a day over 500,000. On this day in 1899, congress established Mount Rainier National Park, but the volcano itself was thought to have formed some 500,000 years ago. Although this sounds old, it’s actually young in the big geologic picture. Anyway, here’s to another year of enjoying our beautiful National Parks in the United States.
Luke Reilly
March 2, 2017
Pico de Orizaba
Orizaba is on the calendar for Josh and team early tomorrow morning. He just called in from the Piedra Grande hut on Orizaba. Weather remains favorable and everyone’s ready to make their summit bid. It’ll be an early wake up. We’ll let you know when we know. All should go well.
Phil Ershler
