December 15, 2012
Mike and Vanessa reached the South Pole on Saturday, December 15. They’ve toured the South Pole Station and will be spending the night camped at the Pole. They should be able to fly back to the Union Glacier on Sunday and an IL 76 flight is tentatively scheduled for the 17th. Pretty darn smooth trip.
Phil Ershler
December 14, 2012
Casa Piedra (Nick Hayward)
Another dispatch from IMG guide Eben Reckord, the team made it yesterday to Casa Piedra, camp 2 on the approach to Aconcagua. Weather was reported to be “ridiculously nice”. Today, everybody arrived at base camp in good shape, no issues. It was surprising to see how many people were not on the mountain, but it’s still early in the season. In the meantime, all is well.
On another note, IMG guide Josh Tapp finishes his packing today and will be leaving for Aconcagua early tomorrow. He’ll be leading the next team uphill on December 16.
Becky K
December 13, 2012
Mike just called in from about 16 miles short of the South Pole. Weather continues to be good and winds continue to be low. The view hasn’t changed – lots of white. With any luck, they hit the South Pole on Saturday. If weather permits, they could possibly get flown back to the Union Glacier that same day. Then it’s a matter of waiting at Union Glacier until the IL 76 is coming in so they can return to Punta Arenas, in Chile. Should be home easily for Christmas.
Phil Ershler
December 13, 2012
People always think mountaineering is so dangerous. Do you know what’s REALLY dangerous? Getting behind the wheel of a motorized vehicle. The longer I live, the more I am convinced that this is the most dangerous thing we do.
Yesterday, I was leaving a hotel to drive to my Air Force base to work. Luckily I was only going about 2 mph in the parking lot when the front right wheel of my truck became detached from the axle. It made a really awful noise, not to mention shook me up a little bit.
I got out of the truck unharmed and surveyed the situation. Worst case scenario, I thought, a couple thousand dollars of damage and maybe a few days to fix it. I called the base and let them know I wouldn’t be coming in. Their ONLY concern was that I was unhurt.
It turns out that some parts I had replaced on my truck in the fall were defective. What are the chances of THAT? The lower front ball joint just disintegrated.
As you travel this holiday season, keep in mind that the MOST important thing to anyone who cares about you, is that you arrive at your destination safely. I was really lucky. I don’t know what would have happened if I’d been going 65 mph on the highway or even 55 at night on a winding mountain road as I had been the previous night, or if I’d been going faster AND fiddling with my phone……well, use your imagination.
Most of us are trying to fit too much into our days already, and the holidays seem to exacerbate that tendency. If you feel rushed, just take a breath – slow down. I’m sure no one who truly cares about you will mind if you’re 15 minutes late or don’t respond IMMEDIATELY to their text.
Happy Holidays and be safe!
Jenni Fogle
***[The good news for Jenni, other than being unhurt, was that this was all covered by the manufacturer]***
December 12, 2012
Eben Reckord called in with news we love to hear, ‘all is well’.
Beyond that, he and his team are at Pampa de Llenas, our first trekking camp en route to Aconcagua Base Camp. No issues so far. The weather is nice, though the standard Aconcagua breeze is ever-present.
They expect more of the same tomorrow, but for now they’ll kick back and enjoy a little peace and quiet… and the occasional tent fly flapping in the wind.
Tye Chapman
December 12, 2012
Last month we kicked off our 2012 Photo Contest…We received some amazing photos from all around the world! I could keep typing but you’ve likely already skipped to the photos below.
And the winners are:
Winners of each category will receive an IMG Prize Pack (IMG Buff, IMG Hat and IMG t-shirt). The winner of the Best All Around Category will also receive an IMG Embroidered Outdoor Research Transfer Jacket!
Stay tuned for an all-inclusive slide-show of all the submitted photos.
Thanks again to all those who submitted their photos!
Tye Chapman
December 12, 2012
Avalanche Crown Wall
Don’t make the news this winter – take an avalanche education course (or two). We offer both Level I and Level II certifications which are accredited by the American Avalanche Association. The courses are instructed by IMG guides and Crystal Mountain avalanche forecasters.
The Level One course emphasizes route selection, stability evaluation, and safe travel practices. This is the perfect course for those that want to start enjoying winter backcountry activities in a safe manner. The course includes 1.5 days of lecture, and 1.5 days in the field. Upon completion of the course, students will have a solid understanding of travel techniques and efficient partner rescue.
The Level Two course is perfect for those wanting to become confident group leaders in backcountry settings. Throughout the duration of the course we focus on forecasting avalanche hazard in the unique and variable conditions in the Pacific Northwest. As one of the best advanced avalanche courses offered in the country we spend most of the time in the field, with a few classroom lectures. Specific topics include grain identification, weather forecasting, complex route selection, and group travel and rescue techniques. Students will benefit the most from this course if they have previous avalanche experience, or are continuing their education from the Level One course.
A little knowledge can often be just enough to get you into trouble.
Location: Crystal Mountain Ski Resort
Level I—Hazard Evaluation
January 12-14, 2013
$395
Level II—Forecasting Workshop
January 25-28, 2013
$525
December 10, 2012
Not entirely featureless on the terrain (Pat McCran)
Mike Hamill called in Sunday, somewhere south of 89 degrees. They were able to fly to the 89 degree S point on Saturday and even got in a couple of km. that day. Sunday was a full ski day. So far, so good. Mike said the winds weren’t unreasonable. When going towards the Pole, any wind is going to be in your face normally. The katabatic winds sink and head north from the Pole. You just hope they’re not too strong. The scenery – well, that’s not going to change much for the entire 100 km. The terrain is relatively ‘featureless’ once you get that far south.
But Vanessa and Mike are off and running. All’s good.
Phil Ershler
December 7, 2012
The edge of the continent.
The IL 76 is in the air. Tim and John will be in Punta in time for a late supper. Mike and Vanessa will be staying, joining the ALE group to do the Last Degree. They’ll fly out to 89 degrees South and then ski the last 100 km to the Pole. Takes about a week and the plane will pick them up at the Pole. Pretty cool way to cap off a successful Vinson expedition.
We’ll post any new from Mike and Vanessa during their ski to the Pole so don’t go too far away.
Read what Mike has to say about the Vinson climb in his new book – “Climbing the Seven Summits”. Published by Mountaineers Books, it’s a great read and a great resource.
Greg Vernovage will be flying on Christmas day, meeting the next crew in Punta on December 27th.
Phil Ershler
December 6, 2012
Union Glacier (Photo by Greg Vernovage)
Hamill called in this afternoon to report that he and the team are already back at Union Glacier awaiting the IL-76 from the Chile. Today they enjoyed some gorgeous views of Mt. Shinn on their flight back to Union Glacier from Vinson Base Camp.
It’s possible the IL-76 will head their way tomorrow, but as is always the case in Antarctica, time and weather will tell. Until then they are standing by.
Tye Chapman