November 21, 2015
As promised, the entire team on the summit of Orizaba. AND, check out the morning shadow on Pico de Orizaba. Pretty cool.
Team’s back in Mexico City and enjoying a last night together. Home tomorrow.
Phil Ershler
November 20, 2016
100% on top of Orizaba plus 100% on top of Ixta = 100% for the entire trip. What a group. Austin called to let me know everyone again reached the summit and they’re already down to the hut and about to leave for Tlachichuca. Good weather for the climb. Strong group and good weather has made for a super week. Hope to get a team photo on Orizaba soon and we’ll get that posted when it arrives.
Congratulations to all our climbers and thanks to Austin, Dallas and Alfredo for a job well done.
Phil Ershler
November 18, 2015
Ecuador Team on summit of Cayambe (Luke Reilly)
The news from Mexico was good this morning. Austin called about 7 am Seattle time to let me know that everyone summited Ixta this morning under clear skies and that they were already back at high camp. They’ll finish packing up and head down to the vehicles and continue on to the city of Puebla. Hotel night with hotel shower, a big meal and a bed are well-deserved. Orizaba is next.
And, the news from Ecuador is “almost†as good. Luke’s team summited Cayambe this morning. Not 100% but a great job done by all. Weather is Ecuador was good, too. Team is heading down now for a nice lunch and then plan on heading to the famous hot springs of Papallacta. Not a bad way to end a great day. Antisana is next.
Phil Ershler
November 17, 2015
Iztaccihuatl 1941
Let’s kill two birds with one stone because the news is about the same. Ecuador and Mexico had very productive days on Monday. Austin/Dallas and their Mexico crew had a good carry up to their high camp on Ixta, came back down and spent the night at a place called the Altzimoni Hut. Moving today to high camp and weather’s been good. Summit attempt scheduled for early tomorrow morning.
In Ecuador, Luke/Romulo and crew did pretty much the same thing. They left the luxury of the Hacienda Papa Gayo yesterday morning and headed for the hut on Cayambe. They use the hut for hanging and cooking but set up tents outside for sleeping. Just a bit more pleasant that way. They did some training yesterday and will be doing more of that today, as well as prepping for their summit attempt on Cayambe. Both crews plan early morning attempts tomorrow on their respective objectives.
Here’s hoping tomorrow’s post will be talking about two successful summit attempts.
Phil Ershler
November 16, 2015
Relaxing at Papa Gayo, with Cayambe in the distance.
We think the team is Ecuador is having just too much fun. After their hike over the weekend on Fuya Fuya and Imbabura, the crew headed to a new hacienda called Papa Gayo. Very nice! Today, they’re getting serious as they head up to the hut on Cayambe. Plan is for two nights there, with a day of glacier training, before making a summit bid.
All continues to go well.
Phil Ershler
November 15, 2015
It’s been a good “IMG weekend†in Mexico and Ecuador. Austin Shannon and Dallas Glass met their crew, without issue, in Mexico City on Saturday. They headed out of town this morning for their first objection – Ixtaccihuatl. Went for an acclimatization hike today above Cortez Pass and the guides report they’ve got a strong team. We’ll take it.
Pretty much the same word coming from our Ecuador team.  Luke Reilly and Romulo Cardenas pulled their crew together late Thursday evening. Friday was a super fun walking tour of Old Town with Romulo relaying more information than you can imagine. They then drove north, past the equator, to the town of Otavalo, with a lunch stop at this great ‘locals’ spot along the highway. Locro, an Ecuadorian soup of potato with cheese, is their specialty. Visited the famous Otavalo market Saturday morning and then hiked Fuya Fuya. It’s a nice first hike with an interesting little rock step at the end. The group loved it.
They finished the day with a visit to the village of Peguche and visited with a local weaver friend of ours.  Dinner was at the Hacienda Pinsaqui.  Today’s schedule called for a climb up Imbabura and then down to a new hacienda near the town of Cayambe. Team’s doing great.
Phil Ershler
November 3, 2015
The Team moved through Phortse and stopped to check out all of the construction along the way. Things are doing great!
Another fantastic day on the trail, they stopped to see many of our IMG Sherpa along the way. The Team is in Namche for the night and off to Lukla tomorrow morning.
Greg Vernovage
November 2, 2015
When you trek through Phortse, you are basically walking into the who is who of the IMG Sherpa Guide world. Many Sherpa from of our Team live in the village of Phortse and the hospitality is amazing when we come through.
Craig and our trekking team pulled into Phortse for lunch after a beautiful trek down the Na Valley. They visited the monastery as well as a number of the houses that have been rebuilt after the earthquake. “The village looks amazing and everyone is eager to show off all of the work that has been done.â€
Thank you once again to everyone who pitched in to help our Sherpa families, our team of trekkers said the place looks amazing!
Greg Vernovage
November 1, 2015
It was a nice day in the Khumbu Valley for our team. Our team heading downhill made it into Lukla in good time. Sometimes people forget that they need to hike uphill to go from Phakding back up to Lukla! Just need to take it slow and steady, and enjoy the great photo opportunities during the last day on the trail. The team is scheduled to KTM tomorrow morning.
Craig John and his group trekked over Cho La (5355m; 17,580ft) today and have settled in at Thagnak (or Dragnag) at 4700m /15,400ft. The name of this stop varies depending on which map you look at. This part of the trek is very spectacular. When you get through this pass (Cho La) you enter a different part of the Khumbu Valley. It is less traveled than the main route to EBC and offers amazing views. With a fresh layer of snow on the ground, I am sure the team will get great photos of Cho Oyu, Cholatse and Taboche peaks. What a beautiful place!
Greg Vernovage
October 31, 2015
Everyone has checked in from the Khumbu Valley and are doing well. IMG assistant guide Cedric Gamble reports that the downhill team had a great day on the trail today and are tucked into Namche for the night. Tomorrow they will finish off the trek into Lukla.
IMG guide Craig John and some of the climbers stayed back at Lobuche Base Camp to take another try at the summit. However, additional snowfall has now shut down their second attempt. They gave it a good shot and have now decided to move on, and take in the landscape in another part of the Khumbu on their descent. They will evaluate the trail conditions and make a decision on what freshly coated area of the valley to visit for the next few days as they make their way back towards Lukla.
Eric Simonson
