A Perfect Trip To Ecuador

January 23, 2013

Slopes of Cayambe. (Phil Ershler)

Most of our team flew home yesterday.Â That ended a pretty much great trip.Â Weather really couldnâ€™t have been better.Â Hike day on Pasochoa was pretty much perfect, training day on Cotopaxi was pretty much perfect, climb day on Cotopaxi was totally perfect, training day on Cayambe was perfect and climbing day on Cayambe was a bit colder and windier but with totally clear skies.Â We were lucky.Â And, crampon conditions truly could not have been better.Â We headed straight for the hot springs of Papallacta after Cayambe and figured cold beer, soaking in the hot springs and a big dinner was the right way to end the summit day.

Plus, the crew was great.Â Always great to see a group of mostly complete strangers bond, work together and come away friends.Â Guess thatâ€™s why we keep doing this stuff.Â IMG customers are great!

Next trip departs in June with Luke Reilly at the helm.Â Soon, weâ€™ll be posting a story of Lukeâ€™s time in Ecuador the last couple of years and his ascents of Ecuadorâ€™s big peaks.Â He know the trips wells and is anxious to get back there in June.Â Join him and our partner, Romulo Cardenas.Â You will be in for a treat.

Phil Ershler

Kilimanjaro Climbers Prepare For Safari

January 22, 2013

Up next... Safari!

George and Jenni report that the team’s descent to Moshi went smoothly, and that everyone is doing well.Â Tonight the team enjoyed a big celebration BBQ dinner, before heading to bed for some well earned rest.Â Tomorrow morning they will travel to Arusha, for the 45 minute flight out to the Serengeti.

Once in the bush, the team will be staying at our luxury tented camps, for an authentic safari experience.Â We’ll look forward to getting some good animal viewing stories!

Eric Simonson

Aconcagua Ups & Downs

January 22, 2013

Vernovage Crew in Penitentes. Trailhead tomorrow!

Peter Anderson checked in from Plaza de Mulas (Base Camp) yesterday evening after pulling the plug on summit day. They woke up to some super cold temps, a good bit of fresh snow, some wind to complicate matters, and a forecast calling for ‘more of the same’. It’s always a tough decision to pull the plug on a climb, but given the conditions & forecast, it was for the best.Â Today they’ll relax and rest up at Plaza de Mulas. Tomorrow it’s just an 18-mile hike (yes 18 miles!) down the valley to Penitentes and then a few hours in the van to Mendoza.

Back in Penitentes right now is Greg Vernovage and his team. They spent the day putting the finishing touches on their gear and weighing the mule loads. Tomorrow they’ll head to the trailhead.

Tye Chapman

Next On Aconcagua: Team Vernovage

January 21, 2013

Los Penitentes

Just received word from IMG Guide Greg Vernovage in Mendoza that the next Aconcagua team has arrived with all their gear.

Today was spent securing the climbing permit and doing gear checks.Â Tonight the crew will enjoy a nice steak dinner and a glass of wine, then off to bed.Â When the sun rises, they’ll depart for Los Penitentes.Â All is well!

Becky K

Cayambe Summit

January 21, 2013

Wrapping up in Quito (Tye Chapman)

Phil & Co. checked in yesterday from Ecuador.Â Â After tagging the top ofÂ Cayambe, the crew made their way down to Papallacta for a relaxing and rewarding soak in the hot springs.

Everyone is back in Quito now and getting ready to head home.Â Congrats to the team on a great trip!

Becky K

100% on Uhuru Peak!

January 21, 2013

The new (improved?) summit sign on Uhuru Peak, which was replaced this past year. (Eben Reckord)

George called on the sat phone to report that the whole team made it to Uhuru Peak, the true summit of Kilimanjaro.Â The weather was good and they were getting ready to start their descent.Â First they will go back down to Barafu for some rest and lunch, then continue on down to the Mweka Camp at the treeline.Â It makes for a long day, but everyone will feel so much better to get down to 11,000 feet, where the air is much thicker.Â Way to go, team!

Eric Simonson

One Team Summits, Another At High Camp

January 20, 2013

High Camp

Mike Hamill and his team summited this morning and descended back through High Camp and then all the way back to Plaza de Mulas. That’s a big day, but a much more comfortable place to recover! They will likely wrap it up with the hike out to the trailhead tomorrow, Mendoza late tomorrow night.

Just missing Hamill’s team (by a couple hours), was Peter Anderson’s crew, who pulled into High Camp for the night. Summit day could be tomorrow, but the weather is shifting a little so they’re going to wake up and see how it looks in the morning and go from there.

Tye Chapman

Kili Climbers Reach Karanga Camp

January 19, 2013

Barafu Camp (15,000 feet) on Kilimanjaro (Eric Simonson)

George and Jenni called from Karanga Camp at 13,000 ft to report that the team was doing well.Â Today they will move up to Barafu Camp (15,000 ft) and prepare to climb to the summit tomorrow. Â Â After reaching the Camp and having a meal, the plan calls for getting off the feet this afternoon and resting, followed by an evening meal and another rest.Â Then, they will be up early, shooting to be walking around midnight for the trek to Uhuru Peak.Â So far so good!

Eric Simonson

Orizaba Summit!

January 18, 2013

The crew a couple days ago.

Austin called in this afternoon just as they rolled into Tlachichuca for the night reporting that they summited Orizaba earlier this morning. 6 of 7 touched the top in great conditions on a ‘splitter day’!

They’ll stay the night with our friends, the Reyes family, tonight and then make their way to Mexico City tomorrow for some free time and a farewell dinner.

Tye Chapman

Aconcongua Team On The Move

January 18, 2013

Camp 2.

Peter Anderson checked in today with news that the team had moved on up to Camp 2 for the night.Â It was a tough but rewarding day. Tomorrow they’ll carry up to High Camp but drop back down to Camp 2 to sleep. Looks like the weather might deteriorate a bit over the next couple days, but it doesn’t look like a big issue.

Hamill’s team is resting today so no check-in from those guys on the other side at Nido de Condores Camp.

That’s all for now.

Tye Chapman