July 10, 2014
A nice view of the North Cascades from Mt. Shuksan. (Mike Haft)
IMG Guide Mike Haft shot this gem of a photo on the approach hike into Mt. Shuksan yesterday. They set up camp at the base of the Sulphide Glacier yesterday, trained all day today and will go for the summit tomorrow just before first light.
Tye Chapman
July 9, 2014
All this could be yours (photo: Eric Remza)
Likely, especially if you live in Washington. Summer is officially in full swing and as luck would have it, we have a few spaces available on prime dates in July! Have a look at our website for a complete listing of all available dates throughout the 2014 season!
July 6, 2014
Descending Mt. Rainier With Little T in the Background (Photo by Mike Hamill)
Right on schedule, summer has truly arrived on Mount Rainier. Â The weather forecast for the next few days is outstanding with freezing levels hovering around 16,000 feet. Â The weather synopsis states that:
“…NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED TO AFFECTÂ THE PARK IN THE WEEK AHEAD.”
It’s all smiles around the headquarters here as three teams prep to head out the door.  Austin Shannon will be steering the ship for the Kautz climb, Eric Remza on the Disappointment Cleaver and I’ll be on a Little Tahoma Seminar.
Let’s not forget about Mark Allen and team over on the Inter Glacier this evening. Â Mark said there was just enough breeze to keep the team cool on their way up to camp today.
Mike Haft and crew are up at the flats camp prepping for their summit attempt tonight, let’s wish them luck!
Luke Reilly
July 2, 2014
A nice night at the flats on the DC route. (Photo by Dustin Balderach)
Disappointment Cleaver – Dustin Balderach and his team were 12-for-12 on the summit yesterday. Emily and her team are moving to the Flats today and will shoot for the summit early tomorrow morning.
Kautz – Mike Haft and his crew were also 100% on the summit, literally. They camped on the summit last night and are descending the cleaver today.
Emmons – Jenni Pfafman and Co. woke up on the Inter Glacier today and will move to Camp Schurman this afternoon. They’ll try for the summit early tomorrow morning as well.
Fuhrer Finger – Josh McDowell and his team left HQ today and will head to their first camp up near the lower castle.
Glacier Skills Seminar – Max Bunce and his team are out on the Paradise Glacier at around 8200ft. They’ll train today then move up to Camp Muir tomorrow.
That all…and that’s enough!
Tye Chapman
July 2, 2014
Hanging out with their Maasai camp guard (Eben Reckord)
Craig John reports that the Kili team made it down safely, had a nice wrap up BBQ in Moshi after the climb, and after a well-deserved rest have now begun the safari. The little Arusha airport is the gateway to the vast Serengeti, and the Cessna 208 Caravan is the workhorse airplane. It may be only a 45 minute flight, but it is like going back in time. I always thought of it as what the Great Plains of the USA must have looked like 200 years ago when they were covered with bison. The IMG team will be doing our super authentic luxury camping safari the next three days with their own drivers and camp/cook staff….not standing in the buffet line at a lodge with 200 other tourists.  When you post a Maasai tribesman as a camp guard (with a lantern and a spear) during the night, to shoo away the animals, you are not in Kansas anymore!
Eric Simonson
June 30, 2014
Team on top.
The summit – again! Congratulations are in order to Craig John and his team of Chagga and climbers. 100% on the summit at Uhuru. Weather was perfect and the team’s already back at camp at Mweka (10,000 ft). Did you notice the Ice Terraces on the right side of the photograph? Pretty cool stuff.
Tomorrow’s a short day. They’ll be at the trailhead about noon. An evening of celebration with Chagga guides at the hotel and then off for 3 nights of safari the following morning. It’s about as sweet as a trip can get!
Phil Ershler
June 29, 2014
Kili climbers at Barafu Camp (Craig John)
After five days of gradual acclimatization, our Kili team are ready to climb! Craig John reports a nice hike today up to the high camp at Barafu (15,000 feet) and a lazy afternoon of eating, hydrating, and resting. The team will be up at 11pm and walking by midnight, and hopefully will hit Uhuru Peak shortly after dawn. The first few hours of climbing in the dark normally go pretty smoothly, and are not too cold. Then, about 4 am, as you are getting up by 18,000 feet, it will start getting very chilly and you will be glad you brought the extra warm clothes. Time for the down parka! The air temp is often in the single digits F and if there is even a light breeze, it is sub zero. Given that you are breathing less than half the oxygen as sea level, it makes it feel even colder…even if you are nearly on the equator!
Eric Simonson
June 28, 2014
Sounds like it was a perfect day on Kilimanjaro. Craig John reports by sat phone that the team are all doing well, and they were also able to send a photo. The weather has been superb, with the persistent low clouds of the past week finally burning off so they can see all the way from the summit to the town of Moshi far below. The team took 4.5 hours of hiking from Barranco to reach Karanga (also at about 13,000 feet) with lots of up and down along the way. This is a spectacular hike, ascending the Barranco wall and then traversing below the southern glaciers. Karanga will be their second night of sleeping at 13,000 feet, an excellent altitude for acclimatizing. Then, tomorrow, they ascend to Barafu Camp at about 15,000 feet. This will be a short day, allowing plenty of time to rest and hydrate for the summit push. So far, so good!
Eric Simonson
IMG Kili climbers arrive at Karanga Camp (Craig John)
June 27, 2014
Craig John called on the sat phone to report that the IMG team are doing well, and had a good day of hiking today. Their route from Shira Camp climbed to over 14,500 feet near the Lava Tower, before dropping back down to the Barranco Camp at about 13,000 feet. This makes it a perfect “climb high, sleep low†day for acclimatization. The weather was good and they were above the clouds, with great views. Tomorrow the trail climbs the steep Barranco Wall, before continuing the eastward traverse under the southern glaciers.
Eric Simonson
June 26, 2014
Shira Camp with the view west across the plateau towards the Cathedral Peaks (Eric Simonson)
IMG guide Craig John reports that the team had a good hike today up to the 12,500 foot Shira plateau. They left the trees shortly above Machame Camp and worked their way up a rocky spur ridge, before finally emerging on the giant lava plateau that defines the west side of the mountain.  Again, it was cloudy and comfortable hiking conditions during the day, and now clearing up in the evening, with some great views of the mountain. Tomorrow, the team heads for Barranco Camp at 13,000 feet and Craig thinks they will then be above a persistent low altitude deck of clouds which has lingered in the area for the last several days. So far so good!
Eric Simonson
