Quality days at Summer Camp in the Khumbu

July 27, 2020

Summer Camp Bridge Crossing (Phunuru Sherpa)

We received a great update from IMG Senior Guide Phunuru Sherpa over the weekend.Â Phunuru was on the trail with the Summer Camp Kids from Phortse.Â I am going to share some photos and allow Phunuru to tell us all about the weekend adventure!

“Thanks again for the buffs, they are a very useful source for the kids to learn something about 7 summits. This trip has gone even better than I had expected! It was such a successful trip. On Saturday, the kids hiked to Nangajong Ri (15,583ft/4750m) and returned to Pangboche where they stayed for the night. On Sunday morning we went to Deboche and met His GreatÂ Holiness Tengboche Ringpoche and he gave us a 45 minute speech that was very fruitful. Then we went to Tengboche to visit the monastery. We then returned home Sunday afternoon so the kids can prepare for the exam. After completing the exam, we will have a team lunch and distribute certificates.” Phunuru Sherpa

Meeting with His Great Holiness Tengboche Ringpoche (Phunuru Sherpa)

Thank you for the update Phunuru! Everyone reading this is impressed and jealous with all of the fun you are having!

Greg Vernovage

Third Team Summit Of Mt. Rainier This Week

July 24, 2020

The view from the summit of Mt. Rainier never gets old! (Justin Merle)

IMG Lead Guide Justin Merle & his team got as high as they could on Mt. Rainier yesterday. Turns out there’s a pretty good view from the summit! This team was our third to reach the summit this week. We hope the streak continues tonight with Leanne & her team staged at the Ingraham Flats ready to climb in the morning.

All is well on Mt. Rainier!

Tye Chapman

Summer Camp on the move in the Khumbu

July 24, 2020

Snack time on the trail (Phunuru Sherpa)

IMG Senior Guide Phunuru Sherpa checked in today with more great photos and an update on Summer Camp.Â The kids are doing great and learning many skills that will help them in their continuing education for mountaineering.Â After training in Phortse at the KCC, the team has made a move to Pangboche where they will do more hands-on training including tent placement and construction, stove operation and cooking meals.Â The weather has been quite rainy all over Nepal but is not stopping some education and fun with future Nepalese Guides.

: Happy Campers (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Trekking to Pangboche (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Summer Camp Team in Pangboche (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Future Guides of Nepal (Phunuru Sherpa)

Enjoy these Friday Photos from the Khumbu Valley!

Greg Vernovage

Rainier DC Team Summits @ Sunrise

July 21, 2020

: A long ways to go! (Anna HIcks)

: The view from the Ingraham Flats. (Anna Hicks)

: Sunrise on the summit of Mt. Rainier (Anna Hicks)

: Descending the route. (Anna HIcks)

Patrick Mauro reports that he and his team had an absolutely perfect summit day today. They opted for an early start this morning to avoid the heat of the day, putting them on the summit right at sunrise, which is just after 5am here in the PNW. If you’ve climbed Mt. Rainier (or any other mountain) you know that sunrise is a huge morale boost after a long, cold summit climb. After some high fives and some photos the team made good time downhill arriving back in Ashford in the mid-afternoon.

Over on the Paradise Glacier is our Glacier Skills Seminar, led by Leanne Sebren and CJ Craig.Â Leanne reports that everything is great at their 8500ft camp. They’ll be training at this camp for a couple more days before moving up to Camp Muir on Thursday.

At Camp Muir now is another DC team, this one led by Justin Merle. His team made it up to Muir in good form this afternoon and are looking forward to a good night’s sleep tonight.

All is well on Mt. Rainier!

Tye Chapman

Phortse Summer Camp

July 21, 2020

We had a great message from IMG Senior Guide Phunuru Sherpa, who is up in Phortse, the village in the Khumbu where many of our IMG team live. Phunuru and the Khumbu Climbing Center instructors are making quality time out of the current Nepal Government shutdown due to the Virus situation.

KCC Training with kids (Phunuru Sherpa)

Phunuru reports that his team have developed a Summer Camp curriculum for young people and have had a whopping turnout of 45 girls and boys who want to learn about climbing, camping, the environment and outdoor living skills needed for mountaineering.

This is a fun curriculum that will bring the future climbers from the Khumbu Valley together at the new KCC building in Phortse.

: Knots and hitches at Mountain Training (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Knot tying at KCC (Phunuru Sherpa)

: Classroom Learning in Phortse (Phunuru Sherpa)

: A Nice Figure 8 at Training (Phunuru Sherpa)

For the first few days they will train at KCC, before they head out to the country side for more hands on education and an opportunity to learn how to camp!

I will share photos as they come in.Â We hope you enjoy these photos, they sure put a smile on our faces!

Greg Vernovage

IMG’s First Climb of the Season is a Success!

July 19, 2020

Lead guide Dallas Glass reports that his team is down safely at Camp Muir after a perfect day and a successful summit of Mt Rainier. The team will continue to work their way down the mountain and will return to Ashford headquarters this afternoon!

The weather has been perfect lately and the route to the summit of Mt Rainier is in excellent shape. If you are looking to climb the mountain this summer IMG has limited space available on select climbing in August and September. Come join us for an incredible experience!

George Dunn

: Little Tahoma on the horizon.

: team on the summit!

2020 Guide Training & Rainier Season Kick-Off

July 14, 2020

: Guide Training 2020…Masks on! (Tye Chapman)

: Socially distanced guide training. (Tye Chapman)

: IMG Guide Dr. Emily Johnston discusses Covid-19 (Tye Chapman)

: Cash the fetch champion. (Tye Chapman)

: The upper mountain. (Leanne Sebren)

: Preparing a rest break area nearing the summit. (Leanne Sebren)

: Camp Muir (Leanne Sebren)

The start of the Rainier season is typically the first week of May, but this isn’t a typical year! After a 2 month delay, 30 IMG guides & staff came together for our annual guide training. The focus was a good mix of the mountain & Covid-19 protocols. Day 1 was spent here at HQ going through Covid-19 protocols & work-shopping some additional ideas & procedures. The highlight of the first day was the presentation by IMG Guide, Dr. Emily Johnston. Emily spent some time in New York City earlier this spring, needless to say she had a unique perspective. Her presentation was very informative & well received by the guides.

The second day was spent up at Paradise working on some short rope techniques & generally getting reacclimated with the mountain.

Later in the week several guides were on the upper mountain setting the route & working on our camps at Camp Muir & the Ingraham Flats.

It was a great first step towards another great season on Mt. Rainier. Our first group of climbers arrives on Thursday for their gear check!

Tye Chapman

Happy Everest Day!

May 29, 2020

Today is Everest Day! On this day in 1953, Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary reached the summit of Mount Everest.Â Congratulations to all climbers from around the world on this very special day. We look forward to returning to this great mountain in 2021!

Mount Everest from the summit of Lhotse (Phunuru Sherpa)

Greg Vernovage

The challenge of Carstensz Pyramid

May 28, 2020

There are a lot of unknowns around the world during the present time but there is something we know very well and that is the Carstensz Pyramid Climb is a true adventure!Â We have been in constant communication with our local agents in Indonesia and although the country is locked down now, we are optimistic for a future trip or two later this year and early in 2021.

Rest break at the top of fixed lines on Carstensz Pyramid (Jonathan Schrock)

In the mountains we must be patient and flexible, and we have applied that philosophy to our Carstensz planning for the immediate future. With the uncertainty around the world we will conduct our upcoming Carstensz climbs as Custom programs, rather than locking into specific dates right now.Â This will allow us to work better with you and take advantage of the opportunity to go climbing as soon as we are able.

Please let us know if you are interested in heading to Carstensz Pyramid soon.Â This is a fun climb, one of the Seven Summits, and a trip that will not keep you away from home for many weeks and weeks!

Greg Vernovage

IMG Still Planning on Antarctica for December

May 26, 2020

Havenâ€™t written any blog posts in the last few months and I kind of miss it. Not the norm for IMG climbers, staff, guides and partners to see things so quiet. But, indeed, there are signs of life. There is some good news on the Vinson Massif front.

IMG team on Vinson, Antarctica

ALE, our flight service, has made some changes to their flying schedule in an effort to run some trips this coming season. Seems early to worry about Vinson, but the expression â€˜long lead timeâ€™ certainly apply with this trip. Good news for our climbers already signed up is that they were all able to adjust their schedules to accommodate ALEâ€™s new flight dates and that we were able to snag seats. If all continues to fall into place, IMG is still planning to be in Antarctica in December 2020. Pretty exciting stuff!

Phil Ershler