Weekend Check-In From IMG Teams Abroad

December 26, 2015

Elephant Family celebrates Kili Summiteers!

Kilimanjaro:Â Big Christmas group on Kilimanjaro and a big success. Everyone â€“ all 16 â€“ summited Kilimanjaro on Christmas day. WOW! One of our customers is a great friend, and his entire family of 5 stood together on Uhuru. A Christmas day theyâ€™ll never forget. Everyone is down at Mweka Camp, in bed and warm, fed, and dead tired. The entire team climbed strong and is now looking forward to their safari.

Aconcagua:Â Other Christmas news includes our Aconcagua teams. Mike Hamill and crew took a rest day at base camp and are now getting ready for their first carry to C1. Weatherâ€™s good and forecast looks like nice for a few days. Additionally, Josh McDowell checked in to let me know IMG Guide Robert Janzten and he have arrived Mendoza and were met by our Argentine guide, Martin Lucero. Theyâ€™ll finish shopping and packing and be awaiting the arrival of our second Aconcagua team for the season. All good there.

Vinson Massif:Â Finally, Greg Vernovage and Austin Shannon are now in Punta Arenas, Chile and waiting for the arrival of their climbers for our second Vinson expedition of the season. Theyâ€™ve got a full crew, most of whom arrive on the 27th.

Bottom line, life is good for the IMG teams in Tanzania, Argentina and Chile (heading for Antarctica). Indeed â€“ a very Happy Holiday season.

Phil Ershler

Holiday Greetings From Argentina

December 24, 2015

View from the tent

Day 2 of the approach is history for the Aconcagua team. So far, so good. Mike reports lots of water in the rivers and snow up high but weatherâ€™s been nice on the approach. The team will reach base camp, Plaza Argentina, tomorrow, Christmas day. Pretty cool, actually. Our service providers in Argentina, Grajales Expeditions, do all the food for our teams at base camp and I have no doubt tomorrowâ€™s dinner will be special.

Holiday Wishes to the team and they send their best to family and friends back home. Christmas and New Years on Aconcaguaâ€¦â€¦priceless.

Phil Ershler

Christmas Eve At Karanga Camp

December 24, 2015

On Top of Barranco Wall (Phunuru Sherpa)

Max called in from Karanga Camp (13,000â€™). All is well with the team as they moved through one of the tough parts of the climb. The Barranco Wall! This wall requires a bit of rock scrambling and attention to where you put your feet but with all of the Chagga Guides that Max has, the team cruised.

They arrived at camp early and have plenty of time to rest before moving to High Camp tomorrow. It will be a short day tomorrow into Barafu High Camp (15,000â€™). A good dinner and early to bed, it is like Christmas! OH wait! It will be Christmas!

They are in position for a full moon Christmas on Kilimanjaro!

Greg Vernovage

Up And Down The Lava Tower

December 23, 2015

: The Lava Tower (Greg Vernovage)

: The team is all smiles! (Max Bunce)

A great day on the trail for the Kilimanjaro Team.Â Max and Phunuru checked in from Barranco Camp after a nice day of trekking.Â Phunuru went to the top of the Lava Tower with some of the Team while Max took the slow and steady route all the way into camp.Â Just about 7 hours on the trail and the entire team moved together.Â They had a good look at their objective for tomorrow, the Barranco Wall!

â€œWe just arrived at Barranco camp and the group is doing well. Still not much rain and the mountain doesn’t look too snowy. Hopefully this stretch of weather keeps up! The group is doing fantastic. Everyone is having fun and looking forward to the Barranco Wall tomorrow!â€ Said Max.

Greg Vernovage

Aconcagua Team #1 Hits The Trail

December 23, 2015

The before photo!

Mike, Betsy, Leo and team began their 3-day approach to Aconcagua base camp today.Â Weatherâ€™s good and the team is anxious to get this show on the road.Â These first 3 days are actually quite valuable to the acclimatization process and for getting into the expedition mind set.Â Climbs of Aconcagua are a marathon, not a sprint.

Phil Ershler

Breaking Out Of The Jungle!

December 22, 2015

The goal looms high in the distance

All is well from Shira Plateau!Â The Kilimanjaro Team is having a great climb.Â They made great time with perfect weather today as they trekked out of the jungle and onto Shira Plateau.Â This is the first up close and personal view of their objective.

They are gaining altitude and tomorrow is a good test with the up and down day past the Lava Tower.Â One of the highlights for the team is the moon starting to become full.Â The Team will have a full moon on Christmas Day!

Greg Vernovage

First Aconcagua Team Of The Season Arrives In Mendoza

December 22, 2015

The Aconcagua Team raising a glass

Mike, Betsy, Leo and team have wrapped up all the “pre-climb details” in Mendoza and sent us this great photo.Â Permits in hand, and with everyoneâ€™s luggage, theyâ€™re heading for Penitentes at the base of the mountain.Â Mule loads get sorted in Penitentes and the team takes advantage of one last hotel night (showers, beds and restaurant meals).Â On the 23rd of December, Â they begin their approach.

Itâ€™s show time!

Phil Ershler

AND…..They’re off!

December 21, 2015

Kili Team getting ready to hit the trail

Max checked in from Machame Camp after dinner. Meatballs and veggies were on the menu tonight.

â€œThis Team is doing great!â€ Everyone has been on time and has stayed together on the trail. This is a great way to win bonus points with the lead guide.

The Team had one stretch with some rain but it didnâ€™t last long and they had their rain gear handy. Tomorrow the Team will climb out of the jungle and see Kilimanjaro up close.

It is great to be back on Kilimanjaro!

Greg Vernovage

Kilimanjaro In December!

December 20, 2015

December 2015 Kili Team

Our December Kilimanjaro Team has arrived in Tanzania and are ready to start climbing tomorrow.Â Max reports that all is well with the team!Â They had a very busy day doing gear checks, visiting Moshi and adding a stop to say hello to the kids at a local Orphanage.

Tomorrow, the team is up early and headed for the Park entrance.Â Reports from our local guides are that the Mountain is looking good!

Greg Vernovage

Winter Training In New Hampshire

December 14, 2015

Paul came to North Conway on December 12 and 13 to work on skills he wanted to brush up on in preparation for his upcoming program which is the Camp 3 option on the Spring 2016 IMG Everest expedition. The weekend started with Paul and I meeting at the Nereledge Inn. The owners, Steve and Laura Hartman were gracious and accommodating and Steve made a great breakfast each morning that fueled us for the day.

Learning the ropes…

Paul’s goals for the weekend were toÂ go over the skillsÂ needed to get to camp three on Everest. These include ascending and descending fixed ropes andÂ crossing ladders.Â We set up a fixed line and PaulÂ ascended the ropes and descended using a variety of techniques and devises includingÂ arm rappels, and using an ATC and figure 8. Having summited Denali, the Grand Teton, Rainier and many other peaks this was just a review for Paul that he aced. The next day we set up a Â ladder and Paul worked on horizontal and vertical ladder crossings with the boots and crampons he’ll use on Everest.

Paul is coming back for a couple of weekends this winter to complete some long alpine ice routes in preparation for his upcoming trip to Everest. With all the training Paul is doingÂ in the gym and in North Conway,Â he is going to arrive at Everest Base Camp ready to take on the challenges the mountain presents.

Craig John, IMG lead guide