April 19, 2013
…but when we do, we go big!
Ang Jangbu Sherpa shot this little video of the crew singing Happy Birthday to IMG Guide Jenni Fogle in the dining tent at Everest Base Camp! Click here for more on the 2013 Everest Expedition.
Happy Birthday Jenni!
Tye Chapman
March 12, 2013
Pheriche with Ama Dablam (Ang Nuru Sherpa)
Ang Nuru Sherpa, owner of the Himalayan Hotel in Pheriche, sent a photo of his lodge this morning after a snowstorm yesterday (the pointy peak in the background is Ama Dabam). Our lead team of 14 Pangboche-based sherpas, headed up by Karma Rita, are packing loads today and will be heading up to Base Camp tomorrow to start building the camp.
The sherpas report that Everest and the local mountains have received a good amount of snowfall this winter. That is good news for climbers, potentially making the route is less icy and rocky (especially on the Lhotse Face). Of course, lots can change in the next couple months, but we are glad to hear that at least the winter so far has had some good snowfall!
Eric Simonson
**Follow all of the Everest 2013 Coverage here!
Below is an article published in the New York Times featuring Jason van Dalen, one of our Everest climbers from 2010, and his wife Alejandra. We don’t do too many love stories on the IMG blog, but this one is pretty cool.
When I asked Jason if it was alright for us to use this on our blog his response was: absolutely, if you can, please slip in that I am still very grateful to Eben, Hamill, and the rest of the 2010 Hybrid Team for getting my ass to the top. I could not have done it with out those two guys.
There you go Jason, while not so subtle, I did slip it into the blog post.
Enjoy the read.
Tye Chapman
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By Margaux Laskey
Published: January 17, 2013
Jason and Alejandra (Photo by Tina Fineberg for New York Times)
Among mountaineers it’s known as the E-bomb, letting it drop that you have climbed Mount Everest — an accomplishment with an unassailable mystique, occupying a higher plane than, say, running with the bulls in Pamplona or scuba diving off the Great Barrier Reef.
Eventually, Jason van Dalen did use the E-bomb to impress women. Yet after reaching the summit of Everest on May 23, 2010, he returned home and descended into gloom. He had climbed some of the world’s tallest and most dangerous peaks and by conquering the highest of them fulfilled a goal that he set for himself years earlier.
Now what? Mr. van Dalen, an architect who lives in East Hampton, N.Y., and New York, plunged headfirst into two other harrowing pursuits: riding motorcycles and online dating. (Read more…)
January 9, 2013
Sherpas checking over tents in Kathmandu (Ang Jangbu Sherpa)
Ang Jangbu reports that he made it safely back to Kathmandu from the Christmas Kili trip. Now he and his staff are starting to work on prepping gear for Everest. They will be sending food, fuel, tents, oxygen, and other equipment ahead of the climbers in the coming weeks for establishing the Base Camp.
Speaking of Base Camp, for a great view of IMG’s 2012 Everest Base Camp, check out the David Breashears’ Everest Gigapan. If you start at the South Col and scroll straight down to the Khumbu moraine, IMG BC is immediately to the left, with lots of yellow tents. You can even see the IMG banner on the puja alter if you look close!
Eric Simonson
August 29, 2012
AHF supports day care centers in Mustang to promote health and education for youngsters. (Source: AHF Blog)
IMG’s association and support of the American Himalayan Foundation goes was back. Eric and I have known Norbu for years, and my wife, Susan Ershler, was so inspired by the Stop Girl Trafficking program, supported by the AHF, that a portion of every professional presentation she does goes directly to the AHF to help provide needed funds.
The AHF Annual Dinner raises dollars to support Stop Girl Trafficking and numerous other programs supported by the AHF. If you’re in San Francisco on October 3, go. If you’re close by, go. If you’re even considering attending, do it. And, it’s easy to help even if you can’t attend. Click the Donate button, and you’re there. Heck of a trio of speakers this year.
Phil Ershler
May 21, 2012
IMG Classic climbers with Bunce, Remza, and the Liaison Officer (Photo: Eric Remza)
IMG guides Max Bunce, Eric Remza, 13 Classic climbers, and their sherpas are heading up the Khumbu Icefall in the cold early morning hours tonight, shooting for the summit of Mt Everest on May 26. We are hoping that the weather forecasters are correct – they have predicted a weather window coming in a few days. Right now, though, it is blowing hard again up high, after the short window of lower winds that allowed our Hybrid and Guided teams to sneak up on May 19th. The Classic climbers are all super psyched to finally be moving up. They have done their preparations, and demonstrated the patience and persistance to put themselves in position to take their shot. We’ll keep you posted on their progress!
Eric Simonson
May 8, 2012
Some of the Maida Mountaineers on a hike above Dingboche (Ama Dablam in background)
Our Sherpa Trek team flew successfully to Lukla a few days ago and now are on the way to Base Camp. So far everything is going well for them, and they are enjoying the sights at Tengboche monastery. This is at a crucial altitude, about 12,000 feet, and it is important to feel good here, before moving up to the 14,000+ elevations at Pheriche and Dingboche. A couple nights in Namche, and a couple more in Deboche (just below Tengboche) will prepare the team for the thinner air in their future!
The Maida’s Mountaineers (MM) custom trek team are now safe and recuperating in Kathmandu. One of the members, Brewster, summed up the trip:
“Fifteen demanding days, cold nights (10 degrees F), sleeping on a glacier next to the Khumbu Ice fall at EBC (17,600′), long days of trekking, rallying around a sick friend, tight and caring companionship, skilled leadership and MM completed a long-anticipated trek. Far more difficult than ever expected, the trek turned 13 incredible and wonderful individuals into a very close group of hard-bodies who tonight will head home to decompress. We cannot adequately thank the hard-working porters, our four Sherpas headed by Lopsang Sherpa who quietly led us through these overwhelmingly beautiful Himalayan mountains, our guide Jenni who listened and led our group through some very difficult and anxious situations, and for Buddha who slowly seeped into our bodies, brought peace, tranquility and reflection. We are all safe, wiser, closer and carrying a tale only we will know – never to tell and never to forget. Thank you IMG.”
Eric Simonson
May 3, 2012
Great view of Everest from the top of Lobuche Peak. (Photo by IMG Guide Justin Merle)
IMG guide Liam O’Sullivan reports that the Ama Dablam team had a good summit today on Lobuche Peak, and are now all back down to Base Camp. Tomorrow they head for Pangboche, and from there, Ama Dablam Base Camp. Way to go, team!
Elsewhere in Nepal, our IMG teams are staying busy. On Annapurna 4, IMG guide Eben Reckord reports that the team had a good trip up to Camp 2 (19,500 ft) today, and that they are all tucked into that camp now. During the afternoon, Phinjo and Thunang pushed the route a bit further up towards Camp 3, and their hope is that tomorrow they can finish that next part of the route. IMG guide Jenni Fogle and the Maida EBC trek team with are taking a detour on the way back down the valley, with a visit to Phortse village, the home of many of our Sherpas.
Eric Simonson
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 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