Cho Oyu Back In Kathmandu!

October 4, 2014

: Not quite the way IMG travels but effective (Greg Vernovage)

: After the Friendship Bridge, negotiating traffic and finding out ride (Greg Vernovage)

: Katthmandu way to GO! (Greg Vernovage)

The team has made it back to Kathmandu.Â It was a good adventure getting back.Â Nothing unexpected along the way.Â Time, pressure and patience.

They did it! The Sherpa were up early getting the gear across the border and the team helped out and got through as well. A bus ride and then the mud slide crossing, and then into Kathmandu!

Next thing up is a good hot shower, some food and changing a few plane tickets home.

Nice job everyone!

Greg Vernovage

That’s A Wrap For The 2014 Rainier Season

October 1, 2014

Well thatâ€™s a wrap on the 2014 Rainier season!Â It was another great year on the mountain. Â The weather was great, the route held up nicely and most importantly everybody made it down safely.

The 2014 Summit Board. (From left to right…just kidding!)

What all goes into a Rainier season you ask? â€¦ hereâ€™s a glimpse:

5000 slices of bacon
3000 packets of cocoa
2500 pancakes
1500 packets of cider
1500 burritos (we’re creating a name for ourselves with these burritos)
1000 gallons of propane (vans and stoves at Muir)
1000 bags of chips
1000 cans of soda
500 emails re: boots (this may be exaggerated)
300 pounds of pasta
250 satellite phone minutes
150 pounds of coffee
100 gallons of white gas
50 guides (the main ingredient to all climbing recipes)
30 gallons of olive oil
16 ropes retired
13 tents in various stages of destruction
7 sets of crampons compromised
6 stoves in need of serious repair
5 radios needing some love
4 ice axes missing but not forgotten
2 gallons of hand sanitizer
1 summit board
—
**And 1500 blue bags (donâ€™t ask)

2015 here we come!

Tye Chapman

How About A Ballgame

September 29, 2014

: How many IMGers can you name? And can you spot the two RMI guides who snuck in with their significant others?

: Fan Appreciation Night

As the summer turns to fall it gets harder and harder to get everybody together, so on Friday we rallied as many IMG guides, staff and partners as we could for the Mariners vs Angels game.Â 28 of us in total showed up to watch the Mariners defeat the Angels 4-3.

What a great way to bring everybody together towards the end of the Rainier season which will officially wrap-up today later today!

Tye Chapman

Rainier Team Toughin It Out

September 24, 2014

Well our team up at Camp Muir on Mt. Rainier didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. Why you ask? A look at the telemetry from the past 24 hours gives us a pretty good idea! Note that between 7pm and 1am the minimum (yes minimum) wind speed was 62mph, the average wind speed between those hours was 83mph and the max recorded wind speed overnight was 116mph. To give some scale we put together some quick data on tornado & hurricane force winds…

: Tornado & Hurricane Scales

: Camp Muir Telemetry

The team will tough it out for another day and make their way down tomorrow. No summit for these guys but they’ve got a story to tell nonetheless. Luckily the forecast calls for some improving weather for our last couple climbs of the year.

Tye Chapman

Good-bye Africa

September 22, 2014

Good-bye Africa

Andy put everyone on airplanes headed home over the weekend and heâ€™s off to Italy.Â Itâ€™s a wrap.Â All team members are heading back to their â€˜normalâ€™ schedules of family and work.

On any IMG trip, the priorities remain the same – safety, success and enjoyment.Â Andy said this team did it all.Â He asked us to extend his personal thanks to all the team members for their cooperation, hard work and enthusiasm.Â His only question was â€“ â€œwhatâ€™s next?â€

Phil Ershler

Kili Team Taking In The Serengeti

September 18, 2014

Giraffes munching on Acacia trees

Andy and his team called in EARLY (my time) this morning from the Serengeti.Â Andy has led a lot of Kilimanjaro climbs and heâ€™s been on the same number of safaris but he sounded extra excited this morning.Â Apparently, the short rains of the normal fall season have come a bit early this year.Â Result is the â€˜greeningâ€™ of the Serengeti and animals everywhere.Â Two large giraffes had just walked through their camp and they were settling down for a nap after a day of game viewing which Andy said was simply incredible.Â Twice he said, â€œI canâ€™t believe the number of animals weâ€™re seeingâ€.Â And, sounds like the camps are a huge hit with this team.Â â€œWay nicer than staying only in lodgesâ€ was the comment.Â I got the feeling that this group is seriously into their safari experience.Â Plenty of Motel 6â€™s in the rest of the world.Â This is EAST AFRICA!

Phil Ershler

Kilimanjaro Summit!

September 15, 2014

Mawenzi at sunrise

10 members on the summit early this morning, September 15.Â Well done, gang.Â Weather was good, everyone stayed healthy and strong.Â Pretty much a perfect day.

Team should already have completed their descent to Mweka Camp at 10,000 ft.Â Itâ€™s a long descent but getting down minimizes chances so many potential problems and it simply feels so much better to breath that thick, warm air.Â Itâ€™s amazing how much better you feel at 10,000 versus 15,000 ft.Â The crew will sleep like logs.

A few hours hike tomorrow and theyâ€™ll be met by our staff with a hot lunch at the Mweka Gate.Â Safari time!

Phil Ershler

Camp 1 on Cho Oyu

: Camp 1 on Cho Oyu just below the fixed lines (Ang Jangbu)

: Looking down on Camp 1 on Cho Oyu (Greg Vernovage)

: Camp 1 on Cho Oyu (Greg Vernovage)

The team is doing well at Camp 1. Â Phunuru called in to say that there is a light snow tonight on Cho Oyu but not much accumulation.

The IMGÂ team has Camp 1 to themselves tonight. Â After their first night sleep above ABC, the team will eat breakfast and head back down.

There is no sign of anyone climbing above Camp 1 so far. Â The next objective on the mountain is to get the fixing team put together and work up to Camp 2. Â A rope fixing meeting is scheduled and it looks like the weather is in their favor.

Our Sherpa team worked hard today, carrying loads and setting up Camp 1 for the team. Â Nice job guys! Â They will take a rest day tomorrow and get ready to move higher as well.

Some tossing and turning and heavy breathing will keep the team busy tonight at Camp 1. Â It might be a little chilly, so when the sun goes down, be ready to jump in your tent. Â From there, its’ time to catch up with your tent mate. Â One of my favorite things to do is laugh on a first night at a new altitude. Â Laughing is a great tool up high. Â It brings that O2 deep in the lungs and gets you through the night. Â Sip on water and snack on anything!

In the morning, the team will head back to ABC and some Kaji cooking!

You can follow the Cho Oyu daily dispatches on the Cho Oyu page.

â€”Greg Vernovage, IMG Senior Guide

Team at High Camp on Kilimanjaro

September 14, 2014

The view in about 10 hours.

Teamâ€™s at Barafu, high camp.Â Midnight start tonight for the summit.Â All members are acclimatizing well, walking well, healthy and ready to summit Kilimanjaro.Â Weather remains quite good.Â Knock on wood â€“ the tripâ€™s been going about as smooth as possible.

Phil Ershler

Heading to the top of Africa…

September 13, 2014

Andy Politz left us a voice mail at our office early this morning. Â Keep in mind that it’s 10 hours later on Kilimanjaro than out here at Mt. Rainier. Â News was that everyone’s in good form and spirit and that they were sitting on top of the Baranco Wall. Â In a couple more hours, they’ll be at their next camp-Karanga, at 13,500′. Â The view of Kili from the top of the Wall is pretty sweet. Â Most of the glacier terrain left on Kili is right above their heads, at that point. Â Well done, gang!

Phil Ershler