Kili Climbers Ready To Go!

December 21, 2010

Ang Jangbu Sherpa reports that all members of the December IMG Kili team made it successfully to Moshi, no small feat given the travel disruptions in Europe right now with the heavy winter snow over there.Â Â Unfortunately, several of their duffel bags got offloaded along the way, so today Jangbu and our Moshi agents sourced replacement equipment for those members and we have porters on standby to run their duffels up the hill to them when they arrive.Â After getting the gear checked and packed, the team visited the Kilimanjaro Porters Assistance Project (www.kiliporters.org) in Moshi, which IMG has supported for many years.Â Everyone is in good spirits and is ready to start the climb tomorrow morning.Â They will be climbing up through the forest tomorrow to Machame Camp at about 9800 feet.Â Jangbu says the weather has been pretty good lately, with only occasional rain.Â So far so good!

Eric Simonson

: Kili Park Machame Gate and Ranger Station

: Kili Park time estimates for Machame Route

New Program: Little Tahoma

December 17, 2010

Little Tahoma

If you climbed Mt. Rainier with us via the DC or the Emmons, then you probably spent some time starring at, and taking pictures of, Little Tahoma or “Little T” as it’s commonly known.

And I bet you spent some time looking at it when the sun came up while you were on the upper mountain, and you probably spent a lot of time checking it out when you were descending from the summit.

Well, we think it’s time you climbed the thing! We’re happy to announce a new program inside Mt. Rainier National Park – check out our 3 day ascent of Washington’s 3rd tallest peak (right behind Rainier and Adams)! Small groups (4 climbers and 2 guides) make for a great program. Just a few dates available this year… Who’s up for a new challenge?

Tye Chapman

Getting Ready For Aconcagua

December 16, 2010

IMG Senior Guide Eben Reckord goes over his gear one last time before he takes off for Aconcagua for not 1, but 2 climbs!

Winter in the States means it’s climbing season in Argentina, and a busy one it will be for IMG.

Our first program starts next week and will be led by Eben Reckord andÂ Kelly Ryan. Eben and Kelly will head down to Mendoza tomorrow, a couple days before the rest of the group, to get things in order. On the To Do List is to rendezvous with our friend Martin in Mendoza, sort gear, shop for food then meet the group on the 20th.

If all goes as planned they’ll spend Christmas at Plaza de Argentina (Base Camp), New Year’s Eve in a tent at Camp II and New Year’s Day en route to Camp III. No champagne for these guys but not a bad way to spend the holidays!

Eben will be carrying a SPOT tracker along the way so we’ll keep our eyes on how the team does and keep you posted.

Tye Chapman

Q & A With IMG Guide Max Bunce

December 14, 2010

Max Bunce

Q&A With IMG Guide Max Bunce

1.)Â Â Â Â Max, you were on our Cho Oyu Expedition (blog updates) and immediately followed that up with our Ama Dablam Expedition (blog updates)… How many consecutive days were you out of the country?

3 Months

2.)Â Â Â Â Being gone that long what did you find yourself missing the most?

My girlfriend, my family and my friends.

3.)Â Â Â Â Three highlights from the trips that we wouldnâ€™t expect to hear?

Getting worked up high. Gotta love it. Â Playing cards with the group. We had some fiery folks and inevitably the games turned into yelling matches. Somehow this was fun… Â Getting lots of reading done. I rarely get time to myself when I am home. Â Between trips, I enjoyed hangingÂ with a Thai rock climbing guide & drinking beer on the beach with a monkey named Harry (seriously). The long sleep after summiting Ama Dablam. I know that’s five.

4.)Â Â Â Â Worst meal you ate? What do you not want to see in front of you for awhile?

In Pangboche after summiting Ama Dablam we saw hamburgers on the menu. Naturally we all were very excited and ordered 8 of them. WhenÂ they came we realized our mistake, apparently they take the ham part literally but since ham is not readily available they substituted Spam. This was by far the worst meal I have ever had!

5.)Â Â Â Â Favorite thing about Nepal?

The Sherpa.

6.)Â Â Â Â Favorite thing about Tibet?

The stillnessÂ of night with mountains looming overhead. It was surreal.

7.)Â Â Â Â Cho Oyu Expedition in one sentence?

Lots of snow.

8.)Â Â Â Â Ama Dablam Expedition in one sentence?

Steep ice and rock with amazing exposure.

9.)Â Â Â Â Fill in the blank: Iâ€™m glad to be home because:

Being stuck in Lukla sucks! We were stuck there for 9 days on our way out.

10.) What do you want for Christmas?

A Kindle

11.) Did you get home in time for Thanksgiving?

Just in time. Probably the best holiday for me to come home to. Yum.

12.) Plans for the winter?

Ski patrol at Crystal.Â I had one week off,Â no rest for the weary.

Vinson Team Heading Home

December 13, 2010

Phil just called in at 11:00 a.m., P.S.T.

After days of waiting, the Bird is finally inbound to pick up the group from Union Glacier, and they should be in Punta Arenas tomorrow by 2:00 a.m.Â Allâ€™s well and the weather is holding.Â Everyone is hustling to change their flights home departing on the 14^th or 15^th.

Becky Kjorvestad, IMG Office

Vinson Team Resting At Union Glacier Camp

December 10, 2010

Phil Ershler called in atÂ 1:10 p.m. PST time (6:10 p.m. Antarctica time.)

IL-76

The Vinson Team walked down from High Camp today and was flown over to Union Glacier – ALE’s main base camp. Â And there they will stay until the weather permits another window for flight, allowing the IL 76 to arrive and fly them back to Punta Arenas.Â As for now, everyone is safe & sound, enjoying great comfort at the Union Glacier Camp.

Becky Kjorvestad, IMG Office

Summit For Vinson Team

December 9, 2010

Near the summit of Vinson. (Photo Justin Merle)

10 for 10 on the summit of Vinson! Phil called in at 12:55pm PST today to report that the whole team made the top! Cold and windy but worth the effort!

Their next step is to get back to High Camp and then on down to Vinson Base Camp as soon as they’re able for the flight to Union Glacier and then onto South America and eventually home.

Congratulations to the entire team but we’d like to point few folks climbing for specific causes:

Alan Arnette: We’ve known Alan since he climbed Cho Oyu with IMG back in 1998. Since then he has built his website into a leading climbing news source. After his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease in 2003 Alan dedicated his life to raising money to help researchers find a cure. We’re proud to be working with Alan on the climbing project “Memories Are Everything: The Seven Summits For Alzheimer’s”. We hope to help Alan hit his goal of raising $1M by raising awareness for this important cause. (more info)

And Graydon Muller & Robert Marshall, who are part of the United States Air Force 7 Summits Challenge and are climbing to raise money for the The Special Operations Warrior Foundation which provides full scholarship grants and educational and family counseling to the surviving children of special operations personnel who dieÂ in operational or training missions and immediate financial assistance to severely wounded special operationsÂ personnel and their families.

We’re proud to be a part of such great causes, way to go guys!

Tye Chapman

Summit Day On Vinson

December 9, 2010

A look at a Vinson Summit Day. (Photo Eric Remza)

Phil called in last night around Midnight (Antarctica time/7:00pm PST) to report that everybody made it up to High Camp in good form yesterday and will go for the summit today.

The plan today was to wake up with the sun, fire up the stoves for a hot drink then hit the “trail” on what Phil estimates to beÂ a 12hr. summit day (roundtrip back to High Camp). If all is going as planned, they’re a few hours into their day, but we’ll know more this evening.

Tomorrow, they’ll continue downhill to Vinson Base Camp where they’ll catch a flight (weather permitting) to the new landing area at Union Glacier where the big IL-76 awaits to fly them back to South America.Â First thing first – summit Vinson, the rest can wait.

Tye Chapman

Vinson Team Moving To High Camp

December 8, 2010

National Weather Service Windchill Chart

Phil called in last night to report that after a week, their time at C1 is thankfully coming to a close. Winds yesterday were relatively calm with temps around 0 degrees Fahrenheit, but while it was nice at C1, the winds were estimated at 50+mph up at High Camp forcing the team to hang tight for another day.

The team will get moving around noon today after the shadows retreat as the sun rises above the ridge making their climb to High Camp a touch warmer. A good 48-hour forecast should give them solid summit window on Thursday.

That’s all for now.

Tye Chapman

Team Vinson Stays Busy

December 6, 2010

PhilÂ called in this morning at 8:00 PST.

All is well at Camp 1, but Â the group is still waiting on the winds to die and conditions to improve before moving to high camp.Â Currently winds are gusting at 35 mph at Camp.

Guide Aaron Mainer and some of the group descended to Base Camp to bring up additional supplies while the rest of the team built snow walls around camp.Â Phil reports that there are no issues with the group and all are doing well.

George Dunn