February 20, 2013
Grey Glacier (Tye Chapman)
Boat ride today, checking out the fjords and the glaciers. Last night of the trip tonight in Natales. The crew then takes a private van to Punta tomorrow and will be catching flights tomorrow evening to Santiago and connecting with flights home. After dinner and a final night out in Natales, it’ll be a wrap.
Phil Ershler
Massai village (Clarissa Morford)
February 20, 2013
The latest (and last) report from Tanzania includes a busy but rewarding day for Team Kili yesterday. Jenni Fogle says that the team enjoyed some great wildlife viewing in Ngorongoro Crater after visiting Olduvai Gorge and one of the local Massai villages. It was a full day but the team rolled into our private camp on the Crater Rim for their last night in the bush.
They’re already back in Arusha where they’ll refresh and repack before their departure flight home.
Congratulations to all on a great summit and great trip. Next IMG Kilimanjaro departure is June 24, led by Sheldon Kerr. Trips will run throughout the summer, ending in early October.  See you there.
February 20, 2013
Camp 1 at 6500 feet. Looking at the mountain with the party’s ascent route on the lower right hand sky line. Camp Muir is located just below the lower dark rock ridge in a saddle.
Lead Guide Austin Shannon called to check in yesterday afternoon and again this morning. The group made it to Camp Muir yesterday in good shape. The weather moved in as they ascended, and it was mostly cloudy and snowing lightly for most of the hike. They climbed up above the clouds before reaching Muir, and Austin reported it was clear and cold at Camp Muir. This morning Austin tells us it is continuing clear and windless, and the group is planning on a full day of training today.
George Dunn
February 19, 2013
Tye checked in from Puerto Natales. Taking advantage of the good weather, the team took a day hike to view the Milodon cave, a natural monument of Torres del Paine National Park.
Cool caves and a great day hike (Tye Chapman)
If the weather holds up, the plan tomorrow is to take a boat to the Serrano glacier inside Bernardo O’Higgins National Park via the Seno Ultima Esperanza fjord.
February 19, 2013
Sunset on the Serengeti (Clarissa Morford)
Jenni called from the Serengeti where she was experiencing a fantastic sunset from the vantage of the private IMG safari “glamping†camp. The team enjoyed a gourmet meal prepared by the camp staff and will shortly be bedding down for the evening in their cozy cots for some peaceful sleep under the stars. The team had some fantastic game viewing during the day. The plan for tomorrow is to head to the Ngorongoro Crater for more game viewing. Looking forward to more updates!
Can you imagine yourself having a drink at the campfire, as the sun is setting over the Serengeti, waiting for your private cook staff to service dinner? Now, imagine that after just having stood on the summit of Kilimanjaro. Priceless.
February 18, 2013
The Winter Expedition Seminar checked in this evening (2/18) by satellite phone. All is well with the team, they are spending their second night at a tent camp placed just below the Muir Snowfield at around 6,500 feet. They arrived at the site yesterday, and spent the afternoon establishing a secure and comfortable winter camp. Pictured is their cook tent shelter, big enough for the entire group when all are squeezed in!
Tomorrow they will ascend the Muir Snowfield to Camp Muir at 10,000 feet if all goes well. Today the group participated in a number of training sessions including avalanche training, use of avalanche transceivers and winter climbing skills. It was cloudy today and a bit of snowfall, but better weather is expected for tomorrow.
George Dunn
February 18, 2013
Timika street scene (Jason Edwards)
Dan Zokaites reports: “We made it to Timika this morning. Perfect weather for the helicopter! We are now sitting around the pool while our gear dries in our rooms. BC and Timika are quite different and it is amazing to change locations in only 20 minutesâ€.
Great job, team. Congratulations on climbing the Big Four of Papua’s Sudirman Range: Semantri, Ngga Pulu, Carstensz East, and Carstenz Pyramid!!
Eric Simonson
February 17, 2013
Hosteria Tyndall (Tye Chapman)
From: TyeÂ
Sent: Sunday, February 17, 2013 5:24 PM
To: Phil Ershler
“Long but great day from Cuernos to the French Valley and onto Paine Grande. Then it was a catamaran ride across Lake Pehoe. Late dinner and an early call time in the morning for the hike up to the Mt. Ferrier lookout before a boat ride to Refugio Grey.
Everybody is all smiles. ”
Tye Chapman
February 17, 2013
The happy crew (Mike Marker)
Kilimanjaro team will enjoy showers and a big dinner tonight. Flying to the Serengeti tomorrow.
Phil Ershler
February 17, 2013
IMG guide Jason Edwards on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid (from last year’s IMG trip) looking across the valley towards Ngga Pulu in the background (Jason Edwards)
IMG guide Dan Zokaites reports that the team climbed the fourth and final main peak of the Puncak Jaya massif today, with an ascent of rarely climbed Carstensz East. We know the Dutch climbed it in 1936, but it was mostly covered by glacier ice then. Since then it has seen a handful of ascents. Dan said the limestone rock was quite loose in places, exposed by melting ice, and that they had to carefully make their way up and down the ridge. Unlike the other peaks they climbed, there were no cairns or signs of previous ascents.
Eric Simonson
