October 30, 2009 The home to some of North America’s premier ice climbing each and every winter is in a small town in Southwestern Colorado called Ouray. Often more intimidating than the vertical water ice is pronouncing Ouray correctly! So how do you say it… Is it “Oooray” or “Ewwray”…? Actually is best pronounced You-Ray. […]
Archive: October, 2009
IMG Team Summits Ama Dablam and Returns to BC
October 27, 2009 IMG guide Justin Merle reports that everyone is safe and sound after a very successful summit day. Congrats to the climbers! They left Camp 2 at 4am and reached the summit a bit after 10am. Then they descended to Camp 2 by about 2pm, and were feeling good, so they kept moving […]
Ama Dablam Climbers at C2 Positioned for Summit Bid
October 26, 2009 Justin Merle called on the sat phone to say that today they were able to move up to Camp 2. The weather and conditions remain good and the ridge was in good shape for climbing. Their plan is to make an alpine start tomorrow morning and try to go for the summit […]
Ama Dablam Climbers Move Up
October 26, 2009 Justin Merle called on the sat phone from Camp 1 to report that the team moved up to there today. The weather and conditions are good and if all goes well, they will move up to Camp 2 tomorrow. —Eric
Ama Dablam Climbers Reach Base Camp
October 22, 2009 IMG leader Justin Merle reports that the Ama Dablam team is now at the base camp. After hiking to Everest BC and climbing Lobuche Peak for acclimatization, and a couple days of rest in Dingboche, they are all set and ready to start climbing. Ang Pasang and Ang Tshering have the Ama […]
IMG Bhutan Trip Ends a Success
October 21, 2009 This time we got an email from IMG Bhutan leader, Mike Hamill. He said that everyone’s now in Thimpu, Bhutan’s capital city, and that all is well. Shopping and sightseeing are the order of the day prior to driving back to Paro. The only airport in country is in Paro and flights […]
25th Anniversary of Phil Ershler’s first Everest Summit
October 20, 2009 Today marks 25 years since Phil Ershler made the first American ascent of the North Face of Everest. His first Everest summit was achieved in a solo climb where his one and only oxygen bottle ran out on the upper mountain. He went on to the top, descended safely, and did it […]
IMG Bhutan Team Enjoying Himalayan Hot Springs
October 19, 2009 I talked to Mike late last evening, which means morning in Bhutan on the 19th. They’d just finished breakfast and were ready to leave for their final day of trekking. Last night was spent in Gaza (9750′) and included a soak in the hot springs there. They visited a large monastery in […]
IMG Climbers Summit Lobuche Peak, Nepal
October 19, 2009 Justin Merle called on the sat phone to say the climbers successfully climbed Lobuche. He reports that the snow conditions were excellent up high and the weather has been good. They used about 400m of fixed rope going up to the ridge and had a nice summit day. Now they have now […]
IMG Bhutan Team in Laya at 12,600′
October 15, 2009 Another big day for the team trekking through Bhutan, and another very successful day. Up and over Sinche La at 16,400 feet and now in the village of Laya . Weather remains perfect with no signs of changing. The group has just walked back about 100 years in time. At 12,600 feet, […]