November 11, 2013
IMG Senior Guide, Austin Shannon, called in a couple of times over the weekend from Mexico City. Austin and Dallas Glass have a group of 9 climbers with them and have started our first Mexico trip for the season. The guides flew down on Friday, a day early, to do some shopping and packing. The team arrived on Saturday. Everyone on schedule and with all their luggage. Their first group dinner together was Saturday night, near the hotel. Our driver/van met them Sunday morning and they were off. Since 1976, we’ve worked with the Reyes family in Mexico. The brothers, Gerardo and Luis, their father, Francisco, and their Uncle, Amador, have been the premier service helping foreign climbers get around Mexico and providing 4-wheel transportation/support/lodging/etc. It’s like why would we work with anyone else? Gerardo is a general surgeon, to boot. Talk about having a great insurance policy! There are less expensive ways to run a Mexico trip but there isn’t a better way to run a Mexico trip. With a full group of 9 climbers, we’re also joined by one of our favorite Mexican guides. Two guides from IMG and one from Mexico makes a great combination.
Anyhow, the team had a good acclimatization hike yesterday and spent the night at their hotel in Amecameca. Today, they’re off to the Altzomoni Hut and a carry to about 15K. Group seems strong and excited. What more could we ask?
Phil Ershler