August 3, 2009
Phil just called from St. Petersburg. Everybody arrived safely and all baggage is accounted for. Weather is good… the group starts their tour in and around St. Petersburg tomorrow.
All is well in Russia!—
Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
August 1, 2009
Yesterday evening IMG Guide Jenni Fogle took a few of us flying! A big deal for the three of us but not to Jenni who flies KC-135’s and Global Hawks for the Air Force Reserve!
So we met at the airfield at 6:00pm and jumped in the little Cessna 4-seater and away we went. In the plane: IMG Guides Josh Smith and Mike Haft, myself and of course Jenni. Our flight lasted just over an hour. Our course took us over Eatonville, Ashford and the flanks of Mt. Rainier… We flew directly over one of our groups (well above them) who were camped on the Lower Paradise Glacier, then continued out east and came back toward the mountain to see our other camp at the Flats. Pretty cool stuff! The sun was giving us some fits so photos from that side of the mountain didn’t turn out but some others did… check them out!
Our ride.
The Tahoma Glacier
The Kautz Ice Chute.
A cool view from the plane.
IMG HQ… See the vans in the circle drive?
The Crew: Front (Left to right): Tye and Jenni.
Back (Left to right): Mike and Josh.
Thanks to Jenni for a great flight and a safe landing!
—–
Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
July 29, 2009
The team climbed yesterday as scheduled…. and made the summit! From the photos it looked like a beautiful morning to climb Mt. Rainier!
They’ve probably already had some breakfast this morning and are well on their way back to the trailhead – arrival is usually around noon or 1pm. They’ll be picked up and then grab that well deserved burger and beer!
Team at 13,500ft on the Emmons Glacier.
Group shot on the summit!
Photos by IMG Guide Jason Edwards (cell phone).
July 27, 2009
The Emmons team has moved to their second camp at Camp Schurman at 9500ft. They’ll try for the summit tonight and make their way back to this camp tomorrow morning…then make their way out to the trailhead on Thursday…
Another look at the team…
Photos by Greg Vernovage (cell phone).
July 27, 2009
Last night and early this morning IMG Guide Greg Vernovage emailed me some photos of their first camp… Not bad considering he’s on Mt. Rainier and taking these photos with his cell phone!
Camp 1 before some digging… Inter Glacier on Mt. Rainier at roughly 8000ft
A look at Camp 1 after some digging of tent platforms.
Looking down at Camp 1 and up the Inter Glacier.
A view from Camp 1.
A happy group after breakfast at Camp 1.
Photos by Greg Vernovage (Cell Phone).
—
Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
July 26, 2009
IMG Guide Greg Vernovage emailed me this photo last night to illustrate the size of the team he’ll be leading up Mt. Rainier this week via the Emmons Glacier…Greg’s a big boy coming in at well over 6ft… (6ft. 3in I think) so as you can imagine he’s usually the tall guy in the picture… Not this time. He’s in the dark grey t-shirt right smack in the middle of the photo below…
This photo was taken outside the Alpine Inn over at Crystal Mountain. Our Emmons Teams meet there at 2pm on day 1 for their gear check, orientation and instruction before their group dinner at 6:30pm. Day 2 starts with breakfast and a shuttle to the trail head at the White River entrance to Mt. Rainier National Park… The day ends at around 8000ft on the Inter Glacier… On Day 3 they’ll make their way to Camp Schurman at 9500ft. The night of Day 3 or the early morning of Day 4 they’ll make their way to the summit (Rainier permitting of course) and back to camp. On Day 5 (or Day 4 of the climb) they’ll make their way back to the trailhead for a shuttle back to the Alpine Inn for a burger and a well deserved beer!
Greg’s going to try to email photos along the way so check back later this week to see how the climb’s going.
Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
July 19, 2009
Mt. Rainier DC Route – Early July
IMG Guide Mike Haugen tracked his climb and overlayed it on google earth… Pretty cool!
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Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
July 17, 2009
The season of summits continues on Mt. Rainier this week with a solid forecast… however it might get a little windy on the upper mountain over the weekend so we’ll see how our teams do.
On the schedule these next few days will be a Kautz Climb, an Emmons Climb a Disappointment Cleaver Climb and a 6-day Himalayan Seminar..So once again we’ll have the mountain covered!
That means in addition to the group gear (ropes, tents, stoves, fuel, etc.) needed for each climb we’ll need to pack a combined 13 days worth of food for which amounts to roughly 150 breakfasts and 150 dinners or simply put A LOT OF FOOD!
—-
Tye Chapman
Operations Manager
July 10. 2009
Absence does make the heart grow fonder. Three years after my last Kilimanjaro expedition I returned with a fantastic group of IMG climbers to go to the top once more.
The 3-year hiatus renewed my excitement in the mountains, wildlife, and people of Tanzania. The specialness of the region was more apparent than ever to me this time. My understanding of this place, fortified over previous expeditions, gave it a certain familiarity, the kind of familiarity that relaxes you. North Central Tanzania is a fertile, vibrant, organic place. Kilimanjaro sustains it’s rivers during the dry seasons. Our journey takes us from the mountain top glaciers to the heart of one of the most amazing ecosystems in the world, the Greater Serengeti Ecosystem. As a photographer, I returned with a new eye, as a climber I returned with a renewed desire to stand upon the ‘Roof of Africa’.
Our local staff of 45 porters, cooks, and guides worked hard for us on the mountain. We arrived in each camp to the smell of fresh coffee and popcorn, our tents already set, and washing water soon on the way. Our team made it to each camp in record time and were very proud of their effort.
We had great weather throughout the entire climb and the scenery was as good as it gets. All 12 of us made it to the top in good style. Congratulations to all – I will not forget it!
The safari was a blast as usual and a nice reward for the sweat left on the mountain during our climb.
-Adam Angel
**All Photos by Adam Angel.
Read about IMG Guide Greg Vernovage in the August edition of Volleyball Magazine… yes that’s right Volleyball Magazine!
