Dinner And A Sunset

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 â€œglampingâ€ camp.Â 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.Â The team had some fantastic game viewing during the day.Â The plan for tomorrow is to head to the Ngorongoro Crater for more game viewing.Â 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?Â Now, imagine that after just having stood on the summit of Kilimanjaro.Â Priceless.

Back On Mt. Rainier…

February 18, 2013

The Winter Expedition Seminar checked in this evening (2/18) by satellite phone.Â 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.Â Pictured is their cook tent shelter, big enough for the entire group when all are squeezed in!

: Group in the cook tent eating dinner

: Group engaged in avalanche transceiver search practice

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.Â It was cloudy today and a bit of snowfall, but better weather is expected for tomorrow.

George Dunn

Back To Timika

February 18, 2013

Timika street scene (Jason Edwards)

Dan Zokaites reports:Â â€œWe made it to Timika this morning.Â Perfect weather for the helicopter!Â 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.Â Congratulations on climbing the Big Four of Papuaâ€™s Sudirman Range:Â Semantri, Ngga Pulu, Carstensz East, and Carstenz Pyramid!!

Eric Simonson

Trekkers Taking It All In

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.Â Then it was a catamaran ride across Lake Pehoe.Â 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

Coming Down The Mountain

February 17, 2013

The happy crew (Mike Marker)

Kilimanjaro team will enjoy showers and a big dinner tonight.Â Flying to the Serengeti tomorrow.

Phil Ershler

Papua Team Summits Carstensz East

February 17, 2013

IMG guide Jason Edwards on the summit of Carstensz Pyramid (from last yearâ€™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.Â We know the Dutch climbed it in 1936, but it was mostly covered by glacier ice then.Â Since then it has seen a handful of ascents.Â 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.Â Unlike the other peaks they climbed, there were no cairns or signs of previous ascents.

Eric Simonson

Team Checks In From Patagonia

February 16, 2013

Blue skies on the trek (Tye Chapman)

Short and simple from Tye today â€“ “Blue skies and sunshine as we watched a group of 10 condor fly overhead.Â Makes for an incredible day of trekking.”

Phil Ershler

Kilimanjaro Summits!

February 16, 2013

The February Kili team on the summit (Mike Marker)

IMG guide Jenni Fogle called on the sat phone to report that 11 of 12 of her team were able to reach Uhuru Peak, the top of Africa!Â She said it was quite cold and windy today, and that they were very glad they had their warm parkas with them.Â After the long descent they were back to the thick air at Mweka Camp (11,000 ft) from where they were able to send us a summit photo.Â Great job, team!

Eric Simonson

Papua Team Summits Ngga Pulu/Puncak Jaya

February 15, 2013

The view of the Sudirman Range from the north, on the trek approach to Mt Carstensz. Semantri is on the left (Jason Edwards)

IMG guide Dan Zokaites called today to report that his team successfully climbed Ngga Pulu (Puncak Jaya). Â The weather was excellent when they started, and it lasted until they reached the summit, but deteriorated into the normal (wet!) conditions as they descended.

In 1936 when the Dutch first climbed in this area,Â Ngga Pulu was estimated to be higher than Semantri.Â Now, however, Â the rocky summit of Semantri is a little higher (maybe 10m) due to the melting of the glaciers.Â Â Dan mentioned that they climbed both the snow and rock summits of Ngga Pulu today, and that the snow peak is still a little higher, but will eventually melt to be lower than the rock summit.Â Great job you guys, that is quite an adventure!

Eric Simonson

Just A Walk In The Park

February 15, 2013

Los Cuernos over Lake Pehoe (Tye Chapman)

Tye called in from Patagonia this afternoon.Â A little drizzle for an hour or so in the morning and then the skies cleared.Â Good views of Los Cuernos and a relatively easy day of walking.Â Theyâ€™re lakeside now, at the Refugio Los Cuernos this afternoon just enjoying Patagonia and life in general.

Phil Ershler