Everest Team 1 Hits the Trail

March 27th, 2024–

Loading up the helicopters in Kathmandu (Ang Jangbu)

Ang Jangbu reports that Team 1 flew by helicopters this morning to Lukla (about 9300 ft), then had a nice hike today to Phakding (about 8500 ft) which is located down in the valley on the bank of the Dudh Kosi River. It’s always great to get to Phakding, after traveling halfway around the world, you are finally on the trail and on the way to Everest! Their timing was perfect, as they arrived just before some afternoon rain showers did. Tomorrow the team will head to Namche. All’s well in Nepal!

Team 1 in Lukla ready to hike (Ang Jangbu)

On the way to Phakding with the Dudh Kosi river below (Eric Simonson)

Everest Team 1 members are Ready to Trek!

March 26th, 2024–

Great news, Ang Jangbu and Phunuru report from Kathmandu that Everest Team 1 have all arrived with their luggage and are doing well. This morning they all got together at the hotel for their pre-trek briefing. They will spend the remainder of the day doing some sightseeing and getting packed up. This evening they will have the Team Welcome Dinner and then tomorrow morning they are heading for Lukla by helicopter for the start of the Trek. All’s well in Nepal!

IMG Everest Team 1 does their briefing (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)

Mt. Rainier Season Begins!

March 19th, 2024–

IMG DEPS Team during sunset (Porter McMichael)

IMG Guide Porter McMichael and team kicked off our Mt. Rainier 2024 season by returning today from a fantastic 4-day Denali Expedition Prep Seminar. The team enjoyed sunny and clear days reviewing skills such as knot typing, fixed line ascension, sled-rigging and expedition camp set-ups in preparation for their Denali expedition. Climbers came back from their experience with wide smiles and excited for their journey to Alaska. IMG is looking forward to another fantastic season on Mt. Rainier!

More Everest gear on the move

March 14th, 2024–

Loading the big truck heading to Taksindu (Ang Jangbu)

Our second load of food and equipment is heading for Khumbu! Today the Kathmandu team shuttled gear to the outskirts of Kathmandu, where they loaded up a big truck (only smaller trucks are allowed inside the city). This gear is heading for Taksindu, the town at the end of the road, and only about a days hike below Lukla. From Taksindu it will get flow by helicopter sling loads up into the Khumbu. So far so good!

Eric Simonson

Everest preparations are underway!

March 11, 2024

Food packing in Kathmandu for Everest (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)

Ang Jangbu Sherpa reports that we got our big food order delivered in Kathmandu and our cooks, Kaji and Nima, with help of other trek Sherpas, started packing. The plan is to send the loads by truck to Thaksindu (the end of the road, down the valley from Lukla), and then from there by helicopter sling loads up to Khumbu. Higher up the valley, the “Icefall Doctors” from the SPCC team are on their way to Base Camp to start building the route in the Icefall.

On March 14 Ang Pasang and Ang Karma, accompanied by yaks and porters, will be heading to EBC with gear loads, and to start laying out the Base Camp tent platforms. The rest of the Sherpa team will be coming in a few days later to continue the EBC construction. All’s well in Nepal!

2024 Everest Season is underway!

March 1st, 2024–

Everest BC before the 2024 season starts (Ang Karma)

The IMG climbers and trekkers will be arriving to Kathmandu at the end of March, but our team in Nepal are well underway with preparations. Up in the Khumbu, IMG senior sherpa guide Ang Karma went to Base Camp in mid-January and claimed our camp site. In the coming days we’ll be sending a team up there to start making tent platforms, which is always a big job since the glacier continually moves and wipes out all the old platforms, and new ones need to be chopped into the ice, and all the rocky morainal debris moved.

Heli with sling load and Thamserku Peak (Sonam Dorje)

Sling load arriving at Shyangboche (Sonam Dorje)

Recently we sent several sling loads of gear up to Shyangboche by helicopter, which was received by longtime IMG sirdar Ang Passang. Down in Kathmandu, Jangbu and Phunuru are meeting with our cooks Nima and Kaji to finalize the food purchasing. We are looking forward to a good spring season, with IMG climbers going to Lobuche, Mera, Ama Dablam, Lhotse, and Everest. All’s well in Nepal!

Eric Simonson

Last Day of Safari Doesn’t Disappoint

Feb 23, 2024 – The Kili team wrapped up their safari today with a final spectacular day, starting with a morning game drive through the shortgrass plains west of Ngorongoro Crater. This is the epicenter of the Great Migration, with vast number of animals, and predators. After that, the team visited the famous Olduvai Gorge, scene of the Leakeys’ paleoanthropological discoveries. Then, they hit the local Maasai village, to see how the native people live. Finally, they drove down into the Ngorongoro Crater to see more animals up close in the wild including the rhinos, flamingos, and hippos. They are wrapping it up tonight at a beautiful Ngorongoro lodge. Tomorrow they head back to Arusha for some shopping and re-packing before departing to the airport for their flights home. All’s well in Tanzania!

: Visiting the Maasai village (Phunuru)

: Last night of the trip at Ngorongoro Lodge (Phunuru)

: Simba on the kill (Phunuru)

Kili Climbers reach the Serengeti

February 21st, 2024–

: Preparing to fly to Serengeti (Phunuru)

: Cape Buffalo in the Serengeti (Phunuru)

: Giant crocodile at Seronera (Phunuru)

Phunuru reports the team had an early flight from Arusha to the Central Serengeti this morning, arriving in time for some first-class game viewing today. This is an incredible ecosystem, with millions of animals and pristine conditions, all part of the Serengeti National Park . The team did a morning game drive and also an evening one, seeing over 30 different animals, under the watchful eyes of our expert drivers and guides. They are overnighting at our super luxury tented camp, with top notch accommodations, surrounded by animals (they post a camp guard at night to shoo them away!). Tomorrow the team will head towards the eastern short grass plains to see the Great Migration and the giant herds of wildebeest, zebras, and the predators that follow them. All’s well in Tanzania!

Kili climbers descend to Moshi; Prepare for safari

February 20th, 2024–

Happy Kili climbers with their summit certificates back in Moshi (Phunuru)

Phunuru reports the team had a nice descent back to Moshi, arriving back to the hotel in time for lunch and a presentation of their summit certificates. Then, they had a fun afternoon hanging out, getting packed up, and enjoying a few well-earned liquid refreshments.

Tonight they all got together with their Chagga staff and had a nice dinner at the Hotel, and some more celebrations. Well done team!

Tomorrow they will leave early morning for Arusha, and their flight out to Central Serengeti. Its safari time!

100% on the summit of Uhuru Peak

February 19, 2024

: 100% at Uhuru (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Nearing Uhuru Peak (Phunuru)

: On the Crater Rim at dawn with Mawenzi in the background (Phunuru)

The Kilimanjaro climbers had a perfect summit day, with everyone making the top of Uhuru, the highest point. They left Barafu Camp a little after midnight and hit Stella Point on the Crater Rim at dawn. As they traversed around to Uhuru they were treated to a glorious sunrise with the sun rising over Mawenzi peak to the east. Their descent was straightforward back to Barafu, where they got some rest, packed up their porter duffels, and had some lunch. Then, they continued down the Mweka Route to the Mweka Camp at about 11,000 feet, near the treeline. Now the team are enjoying the thick air and getting some well deserved sleep. In the morning they will head down to the Mweka Gate and back to Moshi for celebrations and preparations for their safari. Well done team!