June 29, 2022 – Congratulations to our Denali Team 7 led by Forrest Baldwin! The team summited yesterday afternoon in spectacular weather and is currently descending towards base camp. This wraps a successful season on Denali for IMG, with all 7 of our teams reaching the summit of the highest peak in North America. Congratulations to all!
IMG climbers descend the West Buttress route on Denali (Keith Rumburg)
June 28, 2022 –
Kilimanjaro Summit on June 28, 2022 (Phunuru Sherpa)
Phunuru called to report the team had a beautiful summit this morning from Uhuru Peak, the top of Kilimanjaro, and a smooth descent back to the Barafu Camp. Now they are packing up and will continue their descent down to the Mweka Camp, near the treeline. And, after a well-deserved rest, they will finish off the descent back to Moshi in the morning, tomorrow.
Looking across the crater from Uhuru (Phunuru Sherpa)
We are super happy to finally have IMG climbers back on Kilimanjaro for the first time since February 2020. Things in Tanzania have improved significantly now, and we are looking forward to our upcoming Kili 2022 trips in July, September, December and February 2023. Our local Chagga staff are also very happy, as they have had no work for over two years.  This is a big step in the right direction.
Looking west at sunrise at Kilimanjaro’s shadow (Phunuru Sherpa)
The last two days have been great acclimatization for the team, with successive nights at 13,000 feet. Yesterday they left Barranco Camp and climbed the Barranco “wall†which is steep trail where you need to “use your hands†in a couple places. Then, they traversed below the Southern Glaciers to the Karanga Valley Camp at about 13,000. This is one of the most spectacular parts of the climb!
Today the team climbed from Karanga up to the Barafu Camp at about 15,000 feet. Arriving early, they had time for big lunch, and an afternoon spent resting and preparing for the climb. They will be leaving at about 1AM for the summit so we’ll be looking forward to getting a sat phone call tomorrow that they made the top!
Eric Simonson
IMG guides Dustin and Audrey report that the team wrapped up the Inca Trail in good form, and entered Machu Picchu with the morning sun. They have had a great hike, with lots of up and down on steep stone steps, just like the Incas ! If you like rugged hiking and hanging out with a fun group, this is the one. And, a big thanks to our local Quechua cooks and porter crew.
The team are now down in Aguas Calientes, enjoying the hotel after four solid days on the trail. Tomorrow they will go back up to the Machu Pucchu citadel and then hike up one of the nearby mountains for the big view before taking the train back to Cusco.
All’s well in Peru!
Eric Simonson
IMG guides Dustin and Audrey report that the team is doing well. They are right in the heart of the Inca Trail now, traversing from Pacamayo to Phuyupatamarca. Today they had some nice up and down hiking, in places rather steep as their route follows the historic stone pathway to the Machu Picchu citadel.  As they follow the ridge line towards Machu Picchu they pass through numerous ruins along the way. The ruins at Sayacmarca are noteworthy, built on the edge of a cliff, to defend the trail! Tomorrow the team will be up early and will finish off the trek to Machu Picchu, which they will enter from above, through the Sun Gate. It is quite an experience!
Eric Simonson
Today was a gorgeous day of trekking for our custom Kili team. Phunuru Sherpa reports that the weather was excellent and the team was able to reach Lava Tower Camp at 4600m in time for lunch, before dropping down into the Barranco Valley and the camp at 13,000 ft. Along the way they were treated with great views of the Western Breach and the Breach Wall. Barranco is a great campsite, with good water and clusters of groundsel, lobelia and other colorful plants! At night you can see the lights of Moshi down below, and the stars of the southern hemisphere sky stretching out to the horizon. Tomorrow the team will climb the Barranco Wall and traverse below the southern glaciers to the Karanga Camp. So far so good on Kilimanjaro!
Eric Simonson
June 25, 2022 – Our Denali Team 6, led by Nickel Wood, summited Denali on June 24th, bringing the team to the summit in beautiful weather. Meanwhile, Team 7 led by Forrest Baldwin is moving up to 17 Camp today and is planning to climb to the summit in the coming days.
IMG guide Phunuru Sherpa reports that our Custom Kili team had a good day today, climbing up to the Shira Camp on the Shira Plateau. They were in and out of the clouds as they left the forest and climbed up through the moorland bushes and shrubs, increasingly localized to areas where sufficient water exists for the plants.
The team is now about 12,300 feet and the views of Kilimanjaro are starting to get bigger and better! Tomorrow the team will get even closer to the mountain, as they trek to over 14,000 feet and then drop down to Barranco Camp at about 13,000.
So far so good on Kilimanjaro!
Eric Simonson
The Peru Team had a good day visiting the ruins at Ollantaytambo in the Sacred Valley, putting them in position to start the Inca Trail trek the next day. Now, they are (finally!) out of cell phone range and only checking in by sat phone and Inreach.
Yesterday the team crossed the Urubamba River at about 8000 ft and started the ascent up the Inca Trail. Last night they were at about 10,000 feet and today they are heading up over the first high pass, the Abra de Huarmihuanusca (“Dead Woman’s Passâ€) at about 13,700 feet.
From here they will drop down a bit into small valley of Pacamayo. So far so good in Peru!!
Eric Simonson
IMG guide Phunuru Sherpa reports from Kilimanjaro that our custom Kili team have begun their climb. Â Yesterday they drove from Moshi up through the coffee and tea plantations to the Machame Gate (about 6000 ft) where they checked in with the Park Service and showed their permits.
Kili climbers at the Machame Gate at about 6,000 ft (Phunuru Sherpa)
Then, with our crew of local Chagga guides and porters, they headed up through the forest to the Machame Camp at about 9300 feet. The Machame Camp is located at the top of the forest zone, and tomorrow they will leave the trees behind and ascend into the moorland, heading for the Shira Camp.
Machame Camp at about 9,300 ft (Phunuru Sherpa)
So far Phunuru says that everyone is doing well, and the weather is decent. They had a little rain but it cleared up later. All’s well on Kilimanjaro!
Eric Simonson
