Machu Picchu Team Moving Strong

July 15, 2014

On the trail to Machu Picchu. (Kelly Ryan)

IMG Lead Guide Peter Anderson called in from our Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu with good news. The team is doing well after their first full day on the trail. 8.5 hoursÂ on the trail today that topped out at 13,500ft – they’re pretty well tuckered out but doing just fine.

Relax. Hydrate. Eat. Sleep.

Tomorrow they’ll take the right side of the moraine and start climbing up to turquoise colored Suyrococha lake at 14,280 feet in elevation. From there they’ll continue on up to the top of Salkantay Pass at 15,180ft where they’ll enjoy spectacular views of the glacier and the surrounding peaks. After a nice rest and some photos it’s downhill to a campsite at Andenes.

That’s all for now…

Tye Chapman

Elbrus Team Set And Ready

July 15, 2014

Hiking to Pastokov Rocks (Viki Tracey)

This email in from Mike and the Elbrus crew.Â Theyâ€™re up at the hut, have done their acclimatization stints and put in the needed time at altitude.Â Forecast is good and itâ€™s time to climb.Â In Mikeâ€™s words:

â€œWe had a good hike up to Pastokov Rocks today. Â It was whiteout on top today but the forecast is great for tomorrow. Â Our plan is to summit tonight and if we make it down at a reasonable hour, the guys want to drop back down all the way to the valley.Â I’ll shoot you a note with some photos tomorrow letting you know how we did. Â The gang is psyched to climb and the route is in good shape.â€

Mike

The JanSport Climb Is In Full Swing

July 15, 2014

: A fresh and ready DC Team.

: DC Team Showing off their packs.

: A fresh and ready Emmons Team.

: Emmons Team on the trail.

For over 40 years now JanSport has had a presence on Mt. Rainier, and this year is no different! The annual JanSport climb is in full swing right now with one team over on the Emmons Route and the other on the DC route.

Austin Shannon is at the helm of the Emmons team and after a nice (hot) day on the Inter Glacier yesterday, they decided to wake up nice and early today to beat the heat. They did and are already at Camp Schurman. They’ll enjoy some R &R for the next few hours, eat an early dinner, then get to bed. They’ve got a long day ahead of them tomorrow. Camp Schurman sits at 9500ft which makes for a ~5000ft uphill summit day… and if you’re doing the math right that’s ~5000ft downhill as well!

On the other side of the mountain is the DC team led by none other than George Dunn. These guys enjoyed a couple nights at the Paradise Inn, a mountain day school yesterday and a nice buffet breakfast before putting the packs on this morning for their hike up to Camp Muir. George reports from the Muir Snowfield that all is well. Once at Camp Muir they’ll have one of the best burritos on the planet in the IMG Weatherport, then get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow they’ll move up to the flats and summit from there on Thursday.

If all goes as planned both teams will arrive here at IMG Thursday afternoon for a celebratory Rainier Beer with JanSport founder Skip Yowell!

Tye Chapman

Machu Picchu Team Hits The Trail Tomorrow

July 14, 2014

The team at dinner. (Photo by longtime friend of IMG – Mark Ursino)

IMG lead guide Peter Anderson reports from the Salkantay Machu Picchu Trek in Peru:

” All is well here. I managed to meet up with the whole crew. We have changed money, eaten some guinea pig, taken a tour around town – it was pretty quiet with the World Cup on!”

Peter reports that everyone’s baggage made it with the exception of one bag. The good news is that it arrived today while the team was out touring the Sacred Valley. They’ll have a full gear check tonight then it’s a 4am wake up call for their ride to the trailhead. They’ll have about 7hrs of walking tomorrow and will be sleeping at about 12000ft.

George Dunn

Elbrus Team Ready to Move Higher

July 13, 2014

Caucasus and the Observatory (Photo: Viki Tracey)

Mike Hamill, Brian and his sons are ready to head up now to the high hut.Â A day of acclimatization hiking in the valley, a training day on the slopes of Elbrus itself and theyâ€™re ready to move higher.Â A couple of nights will be needed at the high hut before theyâ€™re ready to take a shot at the summit.Â These guys are fit but, regardless, thereâ€™s no way to short cut that acclimatization process.Â Mikeâ€™s told me the weather is sort of â€œin and outâ€ right now so theyâ€™ll just have to pick a time when itâ€™s â€œinâ€ and see if they canâ€™t get up.Â Their Russian guide, Sasha, is handling all the logistics with customary ease.Â So far, so good.

Phil Ershler

It’s Elbrus Season

July 11, 2014

A nice scenic shot of Elbrus.

Itâ€™s Elbrus season.Â IMG Senior Guide, Mike Hamill, arrived yesterday in Moscow and met our first Elbrus team of the season.Â A father with his two sons â€“ how cool is that?Â They flew to Mineralnye Vody early this morning and one of our Russian partners, Sasha Sak, met the crew at the airport there and they all drove together to the village of Terskol in the Baksan Valley.Â Theyâ€™ve checked into their hotel, had dinner and are ready to get some rest.Â Tomorrow, the acclimatization process starts with a 3,000 ft. hike up to an observatory.Â Actually the process begins tonight.Â Sleeping at 7,000 ft. plus is a good start.

Weâ€™ll keep you posted throughout the course of their custom trip to climb Elbrus.Â Grab a copy of Mikeâ€™s book, â€œClimbing the Seven Summitsâ€ and learn more about the country, mountain, route and what it takes to successfully ascend the highest mountain in Europe.

Phil Ershler

Mt. Shuksan Season Begins

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

Is Mt. Rainier On Your Bucket List?

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!

Things Are Warming Up…

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. Â Austin Shannon will be steering the ship for the Kautz climb, Eric Remza on the Disappointment Cleaver and I’ll beÂ 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

Another Big Week On Mt. Rainier

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