December 4, 2021
IMG leader Justin Merle checked in to report that the team all made it up the fixed ropes to high camp yesterday and are settled in. During the “night†they were up to check out the solar eclipse, and Justin says that while the sun was behind the mountain, the twilight was worth seeing! Their plan is to rest up today and try for the summit tomorrow.  Best wishes to the team!
Eric Simonson
Climbers near Vinson High Camp with Mt Shinn behind (Eric Simonson)
November 30, 2021
Between Low Camp and High Camp on Vinson (Emily Johnston)
Looking down to low camp from high camp (Photo: Pat McCrann)
Justin Merle just checked in at lunch ledges on the way down the fixed lines to let us know the team decided to take advantage of the great weather and carried to High Camp! All is well, the team is doing great and they will finish the descent and wait for their time to head back up the mountain. This carry is so Very important! It allows to the team to see the terrain for their next portion of the climb and get important supplies high on the mountain; all the while getting in some important acclimatization.
The team will now head back down to Low Camp, rest and recover and when the next window arrives, they will head back to High Camp and be in position to summit. Great news from Justin and the team and we will look forward to hearing more about the weather and plan in the days to come!
November 29, 2021
Fixed ropes on vinson. (Photo by Rob Marshall)
Justin called to check in after a fantastic rest day at Low Camp. All is well and the weather is as good as it can be for the team. They had a relaxing morning, followed by some fixed line training and gear sorting for the carry to High Camp. The team has been eating well with Burgers a couple nights ago, followed by a burry meal and tonight it is a homemade pasta dinner. The plan is to climb the fixed lines tomorrow to High Camp to drop gear and check the cache before descending for more rest and to prepare for the summit bid.
All is well on Vinson!
November 28, 2021
The route to C1 on Vinson
An IMG Team Pulling into Low Camp on Vinson (Luke Reilly)
Our Vinson Team has made good progress on their climb. It was a perfect day for climbing up to Low Camp with great route conditions and excellent weather. This is a big move for the team and they ill take a well deserved rest day tomorrow to fortify camp and do a little training. They will then plot their carry to High Camp.
All is well on Vinson!
November 27, 2021
Twin Otter at Vinson Basecamp (Luke Reilly)
On the way to Vinson Low Camp (Emily Johnston)
IMG Senior Guide Justin Merle checked in this evening to let us know the team is doing great! They arrived to Union Glacier yesterday and stayed on the move until they got to Vinson Base Camp. This is some fantastic news because there are so many logistical details that need to be in place in order for this to happen. All is well and the team moved through Union Glacier after their flight from Punta Arenas, had a quick dinner and then jumped on the twin otter with their gear, headed to Vinson Base Camp. Last night they worked on camp and organized gear in anticipation for a carry to Camp 1 today. The carry is just what they did. According to Justin, “it was a good day to make a carry, a little foggy but nice enough to make the move.” The weather forecast is looking good for the coming days and we are looking forward to hearing more good news from the team tomorrow!
All is well on Vinson!
November 26, 2021
Justin Merle checked in early this morning to let us know the team had a great day yesterday, celebrating Thanksgiving with some good pizza, checking in, weighing and loading their gear and receiving word that the flight time for this morning is looking good! The team should now be well into their flight to Union Glacier in Antarctica.
All is well and we are thankful to hear that the hard work is now coming together! We should hear from the team again as soon as they arrive to Vinson Base Camp!
Happy Thanksgiving!
November 24, 2021
Vinson 2021 November Team Photo (Justin Merle)
Sunsets last a long time in Punta Arenas (Greg Vernovage)
IMG Senior Guide Justin Merle checked in from Punta Arenas to let us know that the entire team arrived with all of their luggage. Their travels went smooth and getting through the gear checks, food shopping and briefings always feels great! The team is packed and will be ready to do the weigh in with our flight operator to Union Glacier in Antarctica. The current plan is to get gear weighed and handed over in the morning and be on standby for the flight on November 26th.
All is well in Punta Arenas and we are ready to climb in Antarctica!
November 18, 2021
Climbers on Chimborazo (Romulo Cardenas)
IMG Guides Kim Sieradzki and Romulo Cardenas called earlier today to check in and let us know that although it was a beautiful day to climb, the mountain called Chimborazo (20,549′) had other things to say. The team woke up to a great early morning and set out to see if the conditions on the mountain would allow them access to the upper mountain. After arriving at high camp on Chimborazo, it was quite clear that with the new snow from the past couple days, it was not in the cards. The snow, combined with winds made conditions just perfect for avalanche concerns. The team was string but the right decision was made to retreat. As you can see by the pictures, it is not all about reaching the summit, the views were well worth the climb up high and the team is now celebrating their successes of the trip back in Quito.
All is well in Ecuador!
November 15, 2021
IMG Guide Kim Sieradzki checked in over the weekend with some great photos from the Cotopaxi (19,347′) climb and also to let us know the team is moving into position to climb Chimborazo (20,564′). After climbing Cotopaxi, the team headed down to rest at the St Augustine Hacienda. The team enjoyed some great food, a beautiful hacienda and some additional company to wish them off in the form of llamas at St Augustine. From there, the team moved to Banos for a couple nights of rest. They are now packed, rested and ready to go for Chimborazo!
All is well in Ecuador!
November 15, 2021
Orizaba Summit (Porter McMichael)
Perfect day on the summit of Pico de Orizaba (Porter McMichael)
Dr Emily Johnston checked in over the weekend to let us know the team summited Pico de Orizaba (18,491′) on another fantastic day! After making a slight adjustment to the itinerary to allow for a little more rest after Iztaccihuatl. The Mexico 2021 Team was 2 for 2 in Mexico and enjoyed great weather for the trip! They are now on their way home after celebrating in Mexico City!
We look forward to returning to Mexico for more great climbing in the future!
