Jason Reports In From Camp Muir

July 30, 2010

On the stoves: Tyler Gimenez and Dan Zokaites. Enjoying their hard work is George Dunn and a couple WNPF Climbers.

Jason Edwards is up at Camp Muir with one of our annual Washington National Parks Fund climbs is able to sneak out the occasional email and photo. Below is his dispatch from this morning.

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Good Morning!

Breakfast time in the Weatherport. Hotcakes, hash browns and bacon, and of
course hot coffee!

Next on our agenda, some snow-school training.

Great weather up here at Camp Muir today! More later…

Jason

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On the same schedule as Jason’s team is George’s crew (his wife Nancy and son Jeremy). They’ll head up to the Flats later today, but be joined by Eric Simonson, and Phil & Sue Ershler early in the morning who will be climbing from Muir. Getting closer to 500! Go Geo!

Follow along via the SPOT GPS Messenger George is carrying.

Tye Chapman

All Is Well At Camp Muir

July 29, 2010

George Dunn at Camp Muir

Longtime guide and friend of George Dunn reports in from Camp Muir… All is well!

He relayed a classic George Dunn ‘moment’ as the group enjoyed dinner in the Weatherport:

Said George: “I have a great life…it has it’s ups and downs.” to which fellow guide Tyler Gimenez responded, “yeah, like 500 of them!” All eight of us in the Weatherport busted out laughing!

Life is good at Muir!

-Jason

Follow their progress via the SPOT GPS Messenger George is carrying.

Number 500 Begins – Follow Along

July 29, 2010

George Dunn left here this morning with his wife Nancy and 16yr. old son Jeremy en route to what could be summit #500 for George! Follow along as George climbs into Mt. Rainier history!

Follow George Dunn's Progress via the SPOT GPS Transmitter

Emmons Team Update

July 28, 2010

We were saddened to hear of a death on the Emmons Glacier route yesterday with a private rope team of 4 climbers. The party was descending from the upper mountain when a slip occurred and the other members on the rope were unable to arrest the fall.

Our group was low on the mountain at the time and not involved in the accident in any way. Trip leader Greg Vernovage had already planned to take a new variation of the route, on a more gentle traversing line that will avoid the site of the accident. The guides are committed to making the Emmons as safe and successful as they possibly can and the entire team is looking forward to an enjoyable climb on Thursday.

George Dunn

Rainier Update

July 27, 2010

IMG Guide Greg Vernovage reported in from the Inter Glacier this afternoon reporting all is well with the team. They’ll wake up in the morning and head up to Camp Schurman and if all goes as planned they’ll make their way up the Emmons Glacier on Thursday.

Over on the Kautz, Peter Anderson reports the team is making good progress to their camp near Lower Castle. They’ll make their way up to their High Camp tomorrow and theoretically summit the same day as our Emmons team

And on the DC Route, IMG Guide Josh Tapp reports from Camp Muir that all is well and the team made it to Muir in good form. They’ll move up to the Flats tomorrow and summit on Thursday – the same day IMG Partner George Dunn departs on what should be his 500th summit of Mt. Rainier.

All is well on Mt. Rainier!

Tye Chapman

Master Of The Mountain – George Dunn

July 26, 2010

Craig Hill of the Tacoma News Tribune captured George’s upcoming 500th summit of Mt. Rainier pretty darn well…

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CRAIG HILL
Published: July 26, 2010

One morning this week George Dunn, his crampons crunching through the snow atop Mount Rainier, likely will make history and it wonâ€™t even be the highlight of his day.

The 56-year-old guide plans to climb Rainier on Friday with friends and family and become the first person to summit the 14,411-foot peak 500 times.Â (READ MORE…)

George Dunn climbs Mount Rainier for the 498th time last month. The group is on a switchback climbing atop Panorama Point, on the way to Camp Muir. He has been a mountain guide since the 1970s. Here he leads a climb of scouts and dads. (Photo by Peter Haley TNT Staff Photographer)

George Grabs 499!

July 23, 2010

A view of Mt. Adams from Camp Muir (Photo by Andrew Locke)

Just heard from IMG Partner George Dunn who stepped off the crater rim of Mt. Rainier this morning for the 499th time! Way to go George!

He wasn’t alone – he and some friends from Outdoor Research along with his partner Phil Ershler were with him on the climb.Â It was a bit breezy overnight but that didn’t stop them from getting to the top.Â Nice work gang!

When will 500 take place you ask? Well, Geo is scheduled to go up late next week for what could be his 500th summit. We’ll keep you posted!

Tye Chapman

George Goes For 499…

July 22, 2010

George Dunn circa 2009

George Dunn is en route for 499. He and his team of Outdoor Research staff left Paradise yesterday morning and arrived at Camp Muir at roughly 3pm in good form.

After a good nights sleep & a hearty breakfast this morning they’ll hit the slopes outside of Camp Muir for some training and testing of some prototype Outdoor Research gear.Â After a solid day of training they’ll grab a bite to eat and head to bed pretty early so that the Midnight wake-up call isn’t too painful (it always is!).

If all goes as planned George Dunn will get his 499th summit while his partner Phil Ershler tops out for the 439th time.Â Check-in tomorrow for an update on their progress!

Tye Chapman

Elbrus Team Touches The Top

July 20, 2010

IMG Senior Guide, Mike Hamill, called in early this morning from the Caucasus mountains in Russia.Â Mike and team were standing on the summit of Elbrus.Â Nice, sunny day with only two members not reaching the true summit.Â Thatâ€™s a super accomplishment.Â Another day to the valley, a bit more touring in the Caucasus and then off to Moscow.Â Canâ€™t leave Russia without seeing Red Square, the Kremlin, Old Arbat Street, the Russian White House, the GUMâ€¦â€¦â€¦

The group is psyched.Â And, theyâ€™ll all be home on Sunday.Â Sweet!

Phil Ershler

Emmons Team Having Fun

July 20, 2010

IMG Guide Greg Vernovage snapped a quick photo (iPhone) from the Inter Glacier on Mt. Rainier last night and it looks like the crew is having a good time! They were on the Inter Glacier (7800ft) in this photo. They’ll move on up to Camp Schurman this afternoon and go for the summit late tonight and early tomorrow morning.

-Tye Chapman