June 15, 2023

Camp at 14K (Heli Suokko)

Team 5 has successfully made it to 14K Camp where they were greeted by familiar IMG faces from Teams 3 and 4. Today, Team 5 is taking a well-deserved rest day while Teams 3 and 4 look to cache gear at 16,200′ just above the top of the fixed lines. Once Teams 3 and 4 make their cache, their sights are turning towards a summit in the coming week if the weather holds out. Now that Team 5 is at 14K, the team will be prepping for their move onto the upper mountain.

Audrey Simonson

June 10, 2023

IMGD climbers breaking above windy corner (Audrey Simonson)

Teams 3 and 4 led by Jonny and Forrest have been patiently waiting for their turn to move to 14K camp, and their time is almost here. Yesterday the teams cached at Windy Corner and took a rest day back at 11K camp today. Tomorrow the teams will finally make their push up and around the corner to 14K camp. Teams are doing well and progress is being made!

Team 5 led by Rowan is back at ski hill camp again tonight after caching at 9800′. Tomorrow they will move up to 11K camp and plan to back-carry the next day. Team 5 is making good progress so far!

Audrey Simonson

June 9, 2023

Denali Base airstrip. (Heli Suokko)

This season on Denali has been nothing but bad weather, but our teams continue to persevere in true Denali fashion. Teams 3 and 4 led by Jonny Schrock and Forrest Baldwin are moving in tandem. These teams are carrying to 13K today to cache their gear before an anticipated move to 14K in the coming days. Team 5 led by Rowan Stewart was able to catch one of the last flights to the Kahiltna last night and are making their move to Ski Hill Camp at 7800′.

Stay tuned for more updates!

Audrey Simonson

June 6, 2023

IMG Denali climbers gear in front of snow carving of “IMG” [Drew O’Brien]

IMGD Team 3 & 4, led by Forrest Baldwin and Johnny Schrock, respectively, are moving onward and upward! Both teams cached gear at 9,800ft today, returning to their camp at 7,800ft to rest and recuperate before moving uphill in the coming days.

IMGD Team 5, led by Rowan Stewart, landed in Anchorage today, will travel to Talkeetna in the morning, and hopes to fly on the Kahiltna on Thursday.

June 5, 2023 –

IMGD Team 1 and IMGD Team 2, led by Nickel Wood and Nicole Sims, respectively, are descending to Ski Hill (7800′) today and intend to travel to the airstrip and fly off tomorrow.

IMGD Team 3 and IMGD Team 4, led by Forrest Baldwin and Johnny Schrock, respectively, flew in last night and will be heading up to Ski Hill today, saying hi to the downhill teams as they ascend.

IMGD Team 5, led by Rowan Stewart, leaves for Alaska early tomorrow morning and will be preparing their expedition in the coming days.

Photo: IMGD4 prior to takeoff (Schrock)

June 4th, 2023

Cold day at a well defended 17 Camp (Eric Simonson)

As of today there has been no change to the teams’ status. Both Team 1 and 2 arrived to 17K camp on Monday and Tuesday respectively, but the weather took a turn for the worse. They are still hunkering down at 17K camp while they wait for the storm to break before potentially descending. Everyone is in good spirits and are staying busy by minding camp and making stormproof snow walls. These teams are getting a full Denali experience after spending almost a week up there!

Back in Talkeetna, Teams 3 and 4 are grounded until this storm blows through. To pass the time, the teams have been practicing their rope systems for the glacier and enjoying a John Denver cover band playing nightly at local restaurants. You’ll be the first to know when these teams are able to catch their flight to the Kahiltna!

Team 5 will be arriving in Anchorage in just a couple days, and will be just on the heels of Teams 3 and 4 getting on the mountain.

For now, all teams are doing well. Keep checking back for more updates from Denali.

Audrey Simonson

June 1, 2023 – IMG Denali Team 1, led by Nickel Wood, was stymied by windy weather on their summit attempt yesterday and returned to 17 Camp after an unsuccessful summit attempt. The team remains there presently and is in high spirits as they survey their options for the coming days.

IMG Denali Team 2, led by Nicole Sims, is perched at 17 Camp awaiting clearer weather in the coming days to make a summit attempt.

IMG Denali Team 3, led by Forrest Baldwin, is fully packed and ready to fly on to the Kahiltna. The team awaits clear weather in Talkeetna and will fly as soon as they’re able.

IMG Denali Team 4, led by Jonathan Schrock, arrived in Talkeetna this morning and will spend the day preparing for their expedition ahead. They hope to fly on to the Kahiltna Glacier in the coming days.

IMG Denali Team 4 arrives in Talkeetna (Jonathan Schrock)