July 10, 2025

The view from the top of the Kautz Glacier on Mt. Rainier with climbers ascending.

The summer climbing season in Washington has really kicked into gear! Over the last several weeks teams have not only had many summits on multiple routes on Rainier, we’ve also much success elsewhere in Washington.

Our climbers have been bagging summit after summit, up the Muir Route, the Emmons Glacier, and even after ice climbing up the Kautz Glacier! On Mt. Baker, after a very (VERY) wet start to the season, we’ve had many climbers tagging the top and coming down with great photos and memories! The same goes for Mt. Olympus, where our climbers had a fantastic trip over Independence Day and reached the top in style.

The peak of the season will continue into next month, so keep an eye out for more updates (and maybe a spot of your own!) on Washington’s stunning mountains!

June 23, 2025

Climbers on Rainier after a recent snow. Photo Max Bond

If you’re in Western Washington right now you’ll know that this last weekend saw some serious precipitation! What was pouring rain on the lowlands was heavy snows on the mountains, and it did make passage pretty challenging for our teams on Rainier climbs and our first Mt. Baker climb of the season.

However, the extra snow on the mountain is a wonderful thing! It helps keep the mountain cooler for longer in the season, not only by itself being cold, but by reflecting thermal energy from the sun back into the atmosphere. As the snow begins to melt, the snow surface darkens with rocks, dirt, or other detritus from the atmosphere. The darker the snow surface, the more thermal energy the landscape absorbs, thereby increasing the heat in the environment and the rate at which the remaining snow melts.

After weathering the storm this weekend, our most recent Disappointment Cleaver team has just returned to Ashford today, with a summit for the whole team!

June 18th, 2025

Climbers traverse the upper mountain on Rainier at sunrise. Photo: Clement Gurrey

Now that all our climbers are back from Alaska and the intensity of a Denali/McKinley climb, we turn our attention to the peaks here at home in Washington!

Teams on Rainier have had summit after summit for the last few weeks, and climbers have been enjoying stunning sunrises from the upper mountain.

We’re also beginning our Mt Baker, Olympics, and North Cascades season! Our first Mt. Baker climb, lead by Tyler Nachand, heads out in a couple days, and we look forward to updates from up North, and then a little further in the future, from the Olympics!

June 12, 2025 –

IMG Denali Team 3 and Team 4 led by Peter Dale and Timm Phillips stood on top of Denali | McKinley today at 745PM PST. The teams report clear skies, low winds, and relatively warm temps, a welcome change in conditions after a stormy Spring.

IMG Denali Team 5 led by Garrett Madison is resting at 14 Camp and hoping to summit in the coming days.

All is well on Denali!

IMG Denali Team 5 at 14 Camp

June 11, 2025

A new image from one of our climbers. Conditions at 14 Camp are looking gorgeous! (Phunuru Sherpa)

Teams 3 (Dale) and 4 (Phillips) are en route to 17 Camp today. This photo from one of our climbers just arrived last night, and looks stunning! Once they arrive at 17 Camp, they will hunker down for the night and hope for a continuation of this shining weather for a summit attempt in the coming days. Good luck 3 and 4!

Team 5 (Madison) acclimatizes at 11 Camp with their eye towards 14 Camp in the coming days.

June 10, 2025

A climber at the ‘Edge of the World’ just outside 14K Camp overlooking the Kahiltna Glacier and Mt. Foraker (Sultana). (Audrey Simonson)

Teams 3 (Dale) and 4 (Phillips) are continuing to train and prep at 14 Camp with the intent to be ready to head for the summit as soon as a viable weather window appears.

Team 5 (Madison) has arrived at 11 Camp and will spend the night there. All is well on Denali!

June 9, 2025

Team 5 (Madison) on the airfield in Talkeetna

After a long and windy adventure, Teams 1 (Swanson) and 2 (Bond) are finally back on the ground in Washington! All parties flew out from Anchorage on June 7th, with the exception of IMG guide Jackson Hallza, who stayed in Talkeetna to meet up with Team 5 and make a second ascent.

Teams 3 (Dale) and 4 (Phillips) make it up to 14 Camp over the weekend, and are waiting on improved weather to cache their gear up high and hopefully make an attempt on the summit in the coming week.

Team 5 (Madison) flew onto the glacier this morning! Team 5 is a custom climb in collaboration with Garrett Madison from Madison Mountaineering. Garrett Madison summitted Everest for the 15th time just a few weeks ago, and assistant IMG guide Jackson Hallza is returning to the mountain for a 2nd time this season. A small but mighty team, this group is rich with experience.

June 6th, 2025

Denali 2024 photo by Riley Gilson

After a valiant attempt to beat the weather, Teams 1 (Swanson) and 2 (Bond) descended to Skill Hill Camp last night, and are now waiting at the base of the Kahiltna Glacier to fly off the mountain and back to Talkeetna. They are hoping to be back in Anchorage by tomorrow morning.

Teams 3 (Dale) and 4 (Phillips) are carrying to 13 Camp, with plans to ascend to 14 Camp tomorrow. Hopefully the wind stays at a safe speed over the next couple days.

Team 5, led by Garret Madison, has arrived in Anchorage today. This will be the last IMG team of the season, and we can’t wait to track their progress up the mountain!