August 28, 2025
Sunrise over Mt Rainier.
Thank you all for a wonderful 2025 season on Rainier! Our climbs on Mt Rainier have ended, and our guides are hard at work preparing our gear and camps for the winter season ahead. It’s been a summer filled with smiles and summits and incredible memories.
We’re looking forward to morechallenges, accomplishments, and sunrises coming in 2026. IMG’s 2026 programs will be released Tuesday Sept 2 at 11AM, we hope to climb with you next year!
August 27, 2025
Big views of Machu Picchu from Waynapicchu (Michel Henostroza)
The team got up early yesterday, before sunrise, to hit the trail and arrive at the Sun Gate at dawn. This is the traditional access point to the Machu Picchu Citadel, from which trekkers descend down to various buildings and living areas. After four days of rugged trekking the team had fun exploring the Citadel area in the early morning, before countless tourists show up. Then, our team boarded the bus down to the town of Aguas Calientes (6,724 ft) for a nice lunch and hot showers!
This morning the team rode the bus back up to the Citadel with the goal to climb Waynapicchu, the steep rocky peak nearby that requires a special permit to access. This is a fun climb, quite steep in places, with incredible views of the whole area. After reaching the summit, our stalwart trekkers headed down to Aguas Calientes to catch the train back to Cusco.
Machu Picchu with the rocky peak of Waynapicchu behind (Eric Simonson)
What a great way to wrap up the trip. Well done team!!!
August 25, 2025
Arriving at the Intipata historic agricultural terraced site on day 3 (Tyler Nachand)
Yesterday the team crossed over the famous “Dead Woman’s Pass” at 13,780′ (the Abra de Huarmihuanusca) and dropped down to their second camp at Pacaymayu (11,808′). Today is more rugged trekking on countless stone steps, literally following the footsteps of the Incas.
Rugged hiking on the Inca Trail (Eric Simonson)
The trail goes up and down along the ridge, in places quite steep. It is really fun trekking for people who enjoy the challenge of something more than a flat trail!
Today the route winds through several ecosystems and hits archeological sites at Runkuracay, Sayacmarca, and Phuyupatamarca before reaching the third camp at Winayhuayna (11,930′).
The ruins at Sayacmarca (Eric Simonson)
Approaching the Phuyupatamarca site along the Inca Trail (Tyler Nachand)
Tomorrow the team will get going before dawn, to arrive at Machu Picchu’s Sun Gate at sunrise!
August 24, 2025
After another fun acclimatization day in the Sacred Valley, the team started the trek this morning. After checking in with the Park Service and showing passports to match their permits, the team was allowed to cross the bridge and start the four day trek to Machu Picchu, via the route of the Incas! IMG guide Michel Henostroza was able to send some photos from the trailhead and early on the hike, while he still had some signal. Today is a long gradual ascent to the first night at Wayllabamba, at about 10,000 feet. The camp crew will go ahead and get the tents set up, and the cooks will be working on a special meal to start the trip. All’s well in Peru!
August 22, 2025
Exploring the Saqsaywaman ruins (Michel Henostroza)
The goal for our team is to reach Machu Picchu after four days of trekking via the famous Inca Trail, the traditional route to the citadel. The permits for the Inca Trail trek route are strictly controlled to prevent overcrowding. But, before the team can start, they need to get a few days of acclimatization under their belt!
The red roofs of Cusco seen from the Coricancha Temple (Eric Simonson)
Cusco is a fascinating city to spend a few days exploring, and 11,000 feet makes it a perfect acclimatization venue. Lead guide Michel Henostroza reports the team had a nice day visiting the classic Inca sites in the area.
Next up, for tomorrow, the team travels to the Sacred Valley which was the heart of the Inca Empire. At a slightly lower altitude it will give the team another good acclimatization opportunity, while the visit more interesting archeological sites. All’s well in Peru!
August 15, 2025
Alaska season is coming fast, and we want to make sure you meet IMG Denali’s 2026 West Buttress Expedition Leaders! Spots are going fast- be sure to secure your spot on their rope teams before they run out!
Forrest Baldwin, May 12th Team Lead
Forrest has been guiding with IMG for eight seasons in Washington and Alaska. Prior to joining the IMG team, he worked as a USFS Hotshot based out of Missoula, Montana. In the winter, Forrest works as a Professional Ski Patroller at Crystal Mountain Resort where he is an on-hill Supervisor and the primary trainer of Cudi, one of the mountain’s five avalanche search dogs. Forrest is a licensed EMT at both the national and state levels and holds his AAA Pro 1 certification.
Brad Swanson, May 16th Team Lead
Although Brad is in his fifth year with IMG, he is rounding out his eleventh season working as a mountain guide across the American West with is true passion being in Washington’s North Cascades. Brad spends his winters working as a Professional Ski Patroller at Crystal Mountain Resort. At Crystal, Brad leads the patrol’s technical rescue program and works as the Assistant Avalanche Forecaster. Brad maintains his Outdoor Emergency Care certification through the National Ski Patrol and holds his AAA Pro 1 certification.
Timm Phillips, May 20th Team Lead
Timm is in his seventh season guiding for IMG in the Cascades, the Alaska Range, and internationally. Timm spends much of his winter season working as a ski guide in Japan and leading avalanche safety courses in California before making his yearly migration north. When not in the mountains, you can find him surfing waves around the world. Timm maintains his AAA Pro 2.
Max Bond, May 24th Team Lead
Max has been guiding with IMG for five out of his seven years as a mountain guide! Max has led five successful expeditions to Nepal’s highest peaks, two to the summit of Vinson in Antarctica, and two to the summit of Kilimanjaro on top of full-time Washington/Alaska seasons! Max is an AIARE Course Leader, and in his spare time he leads wilderness medicine courses and loves to tackle new split-boarding objectives! On top of his baseline certifications, Max holds an AAA Pro 2 certification.
August 20, 2025
Machu Picchu team hits Cusco (Michel Henostroza)
Good news, everyone made it to Cusco, Peru with all their luggage. That’s how we like to start a trip! Our Peruvian guide Michel Henostroza met everyone and they are all checked in at the hotel. They’ll head out later for a stroll and some dinner. It’s their first day at 11,000, so we’ll be reminding everyone to go slowly and keep drinking water!
August 18, 2025
The Huayhuash team on the last morning of the trek at Jahaucocha (Tyler Nachand)
IMG lead guide Tyler Nachand and our six stalwart trekkers finished up their circumnavigation of the Huayhuash Range in northern Peru, managing to cross all eight high passes on this classic high altitude trek.
Yesterday was their final day of hiking, starting at the Jahaucocha camp (13,300 ft) and finishing up at the trailhead at Pampa Llamac (10,600 ft). Then, they drove back to Huaraz for the night and final goodbyes to our local guide Michel Henostroza and his top-notch support team. Big thanks to all of them. This morning the team are on their way back to Lima for their flights home.
The view on the descent down to the last camp at Jahaucocha (Tyler Nachand)
Well done, team!!
August 15, 2025
The team at the Three Lakes viewpoint (Tyler Nachand)
The Huayhuash trekkers did another big pass yesterday, and are now about 75% of the way around their circumnavigation of the Huayhuash range in northern Peru. The day started with a big climb up over the San Antonio pass (16,400 ft) before dropping down into the Callinca Valley and the village of Huayllapa (11,500 ft) where they enjoyed the low altitude! From here Tyler was able to get some cell phone reception and managed to send out a handful of spectacular photos from the past week of trekking. What a gorgeous trek!!
Today the team will depart Huayllapa and ascend to Punta Tapush, at 15,645 ft, and then descend to tonight’s camp at Gashpapampa (14,840 ft). All’s well in Peru!
August 13, 2025
The Huayhuash Range above Lagoon Carhuacocha (John Hodder)
Tyler reports that today was another spectacular pass crossing for the team. Starting from their 14,100 ft camp on the north side of the range, the team ascended to the Paso Trapecio (16,400 ft) before descending to the Huanacpatay Valley and the Elefante Camp (14,800′). They have now crossed over to the south side, so they are about half way through the trek. If you like rugged high altitude hiking with incredible views and fantastic support, you would love this trip!
The teams donkeys in camp at Lagoon Carhuacocha (John Hodder)
