April 30, 2012
Tent time is a popular pastime in Alaska.
George called in from Bona Base Camp where the team is patiently waiting for a weather window big enough for bush pilot, Paul Klaus, to fly in and scoop them off the glacier.
The current weather is pretty good, but they’re in and out of the clouds preventing good enough visibility for Paul to land.
Everybody is doing great and the team has plenty of food and supplies.
Tye Chapman
April 30, 2012
On Everest, the Classic climbers and Lhotse climbers are wrapping up their first acclimatization rotation and are heading down to Base Camp. Meanwhile, the Hybrid climbers have now moved back up to Camp 2, for their second rotation. The Sherpa fixing team is getting close to reaching the South Col. See the Everest Page for more info.
IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan and the Ama Dablam climbers are wrapping up a couple days of acclimatization at Everest Base Camp, and are ready to head back down to Lobuche Peak. While at EBC they had the chance to get all rigged up and practice on the “ropes course” out on the glacier. Now they are looking forward to climbing Lobuche Peak, before heading over to Ama Dablam.
Down at Gorak Shep, IMG guide Jenni Fogle reports that the Maida Mountaineers custom trek team had a nice climb of Kala Pattar, and will be pulling into Everest Base Camp tomorrow. Everyone is doing well, and they are having lots of fun.
At Annapurna 4, IMG guide Eben Reckord reports that they had more than a foot of snow up at Camp 1 overnight, so they are pulling the sherpas down and delaying their next rotation up the hill. They will all be taking another rest day or two at Base Camp, to let the slopes stabilize higher up.
Eric Simonson
April 28, 2012
George just checked in via sat phone… the team is now back at camp after a successful day on the upper mountain of Mt. Bona. They didn’t quite tag the top, but all members of the team had a great day climbing on the 16,421ft. extinct/dormant shield volcano in Wrangell/St. Elias National Park.
They turned a few hundred feet shy of the summit, and to quote George: “It was the right decision at the right time. We’re all back at camp now, tired and 100% happy with our decision. We’ll head back down to the ‘landing strip’ [read flat glacier] tomorrow and if all goes as planned we’ll fly off shortly thereafter.”
Tye Chapman
April 27, 2012
Quick call from George Dunn this evening reporting that the team was socked in again today. They’ve got one more contingency day before they surrender to the power of Mt. Bona. No worries – they’re having a blast and have enjoyed every minute of the climb thus far.
More tomorrow…
Tye Chapman
April 27, 2012
Cho Oyu and Everest from the south. (Photo by Eric Simonson)
Everything is going well in Nepal for our IMG teams. Greg Vernovage reports that the Everest and Lhotse Sherpa teams have now established the route to Camp 3, and the IMG climbers have all been up to Camp 2 now for acclimatization. The Hybrid team will be starting their second rotation tomorrow, with the goal being to sleep at Camp 3.
On Annapurna 4, Eben Reckord reports that everyone made it down to Base Camp safe and sound, and now they are enjoying a couple rest days. Today Thunang and Phinjo ran a load of tents, fixed rope, and pickets up to Camp 1 and tomorrow they are going back up to start working on getting the Camp 2 and 3 established in preparation for the team’s next rotation.
Liam O’Sullivan and the Ama Dablam crew are pulling into Everest BC today, after a couple days of acclimatization hiking from Lobuche BC.
Over on Ama Dablam, Kami Sherpa reports that they have the climbing route now fixed up to Camp 3 and Kami, Kalden and Ang Sona are now working on getting the camps established.
Jenni Fogle and the custom trek team are doing well in Dingboche now, enjoying an acclimatization day before they head up to Lobuche Base Camp.
So, we are all super psyched with the progress so far and will be keeping you up to date on their comings and goings.
Eric Simonson
April 26, 2012
The upper mountain on Mt. Bona
Just off the phone from George who reports that today was their first truly warm and sunny day. They used it wisely, exploring the upper mountain looking for a solid route up high. They were successful in finding a route up to 14K (they’re at 12K now).
They’re running short on days so as weather permits they’ll head for the top. They’re a strong team so this is perfectly within their capabilities.
Go get it guys!
Tye Chapman
April 26, 2012
It’s been a fantastic week in Smith Rocks! Yesterday, after some smaller objectives earlier in the week, we set our sights high and went after one of America’s classic climbs – Monkey Face, via the west face variation. “The Monkey” as the locals call it, is a 500 ft freestanding pillar. From the top you can see all of central Oregon, an absolutely stunning view. We started out at 8am and hit the ground safe and sound by 3pm, quite a long day, but very rewarding.
The route consists of five pitches of 5.8 climbing. The most difficult pitch was the aid pitch. Climbing up 16 bolts to the mouth of the Monkey. This bolt ladder takes climbers up incredibly steep and overhanging terrain. Mark, Brannon, and Mimi were all able to cut their teeth on free hanging rope ascension, a very useful skill for crevasse rescue, big wall climbing, and fixed rope travel. The final pitch of the route goes out of the mouth and off Panic point, the most difficult 5.6 ever. Its incredibly positive climbing but the exposure is hard to stomach, what an adventure! Once on top the team descends via a 200ft free hanging rappel.
The Smith Rocks seminar has been quite rewarding. Each day builds on the skills learned the previous day. A great learning environment for any climber!
Austin Shannon
April 26, 2012
I spoke to IMG Guide Eben Reckord by sat phone and he reports that everything is going well. Yesterday saw Eben, Thunang, and Phinjo pushing the route up to Camp 2, near the ridge crest. It was exciting for them to finally gain the ridge crest, and see the route up the summit ridge in front of them! Along the way to Camp 2, they fixed 400m of rope on some of the steeper parts of the route, and then descended back to Camp 1. Today the Sherpas descended to BC and the members are all taking another acclimatization day at Camp 1 (17,500ft) before heading back down to Base Camp in the morning for some home cooking. So far so good!
Eric Simonson
April 25, 2012
IMG Camp On Bona (Photo by Mark Allen)
George called in once more from Base Camp on Mt. Bona yesterday afternoon reporting that though they had found a great route up to Camp 2 and had carried a week’s supply of food up to camp, the weather in the Wrangells had turned slightly for the worse. The team awoke to white out conditions with light snowfall. The mountain had determined that it was a good rest day for the team, so they’ll take it.
George mentioned that he may not check in every day, so if you don’t see a post tomorrow, don’t worry all is well. Just remember: “No news is good news.”
We’ll keep you updated when we hear from the team next!
Clarissa Morford
April 25, 2012
Up on Everest, we have now have IMG climbers at Base Camp, Camp 1, Camp 2 and the Sherpas are getting ready to head for Camp 3 in the next couple days. Follow their progress on our Everest Expedition Coverage Page.
Down the valley, we have both our Ama Dablam and our Custom EBC Trek team heading for Everest Base Camp. IMG guide Jenni Fogle reports from Namche that the “Maida’s Mountaineers” trek team is doing well. They have enjoyed good weather the last couple days as they cross suspension bridges, dodge yaks and porters on the trail, and enjoy the spectacular vistas that have unfolded as they gained altitude. After their first night in Phakding, they climbed the famous “Namche Hill” where they spent the last couple nights as guests of our old friend Pemba, and his staff, at the Khumbu Lodge. Now the team heads for the rhododendron forests of Deboche, where they will enjoy a couple days to visit Tengboche monastary and the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan, Phu Tashi Sherpa, and the Ama Dablam team wrapped up two days of acclimatization hiking in the Pheriche area, and are heading today to Lobuche Base Camp, prior to the big push up to EBC.
Eric Simonson