It’s official, our 2013 dates have been released and with just 8 climbers and 4 guides on each climb, the spots go fast!

Quite a view from the upper mountain. (Eric Remza)

Let’s cut to the chase:

Winter & Denali Prep Seminars: Literally a prerequisite for Denali. 4 experienced guides, 8 climbers, 6.5 days of learning/training/climbing and generally getting your butt kicked by the winter weather. This program is for you if your eyes are on Denali or you’re just looking for a winter challenge. Included in the price of the program is lodging for your first night in Ashford and all breakfasts and dinners on the mountain. What a deal!

Kautz Route: Sweet climbs for the climber with a little (or a lot) of climbing experience. This is the best option for those who’d like to return to Rainier to attempt a different, slightly more challenging route.  1 day traversing the south side of Mt. Rainier, 1 day climbing the Turtle Snowfield, Summit day up the Kautz Ice Chute and 1 day down to the parking lot. Back for a late lunch at The Copper Creek on the 4th day.

3.5 Day Disappointment Cleaver Route: A great introduction to Mt. Rainier and mountaineering in general. Half-day of orientation and gear checks. 1 day to Camp Muir (10,000ft), 1 day training at Camp Muir and moving to High Camp at the Ingraham Flats (11,000ft) and 1 summit & back down day. Heck we’ll throw in some pancakes and bacon at Camp Muir!

4.5 Day Emmons Route: Another great introduction to Mt. Rainier and mountaineering in general. Maybe just a little tougher than the 3.5 day climb but the extra day on the mountain makes up for it. 2 days to Camp Schurman (9500ft), 1 summit day and 1 day back to the trailhead. A perfect climb for the fit individual looking for a little more adventure.

For the more experienced climbers we have more technical programs like the Fuhrer Finger Route and Liberty Ridge.

Additional Courses include: Little Tahoma Seminar, Glacier Skills Seminars, Mountain Day Schools, Advanced Mountain Day Schools and Crevasse Rescue schools are popular programs for climbers looking to get a grasp of the basic skills needed to pursue climbs on their own.

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Signing up is simple:

1.) The website is not real time so call/email the office to check availability. (360)569-2609/office@mountainguides.com

2.)  Carefully read, execute and submit the IMG Mt. Rainier Application Forms and Payment Information (PDF). This is the only way to apply for and secure your position on the program.

Please Note: Your position is not confirmed until all properly executed forms and application fees have been received and reviewed at the IMG office in Ashford, WA. If within 48 hours of submitting the Application Forms you have not received an IMG confirmation email, please contact our office to confirm we have received all of your information.

Got a group? No problem:

1.) Assign a point person to do the leg work of rallying the troops to fill out the forms, etc.
2.) Call office to check availability
3.) Submit all forms/payment on same day or all together at once.
4.) due to the volume of calls and reservations we receive, we cannot ‘hold’ or ‘pencil in’ any spots.

September 9, 2012

From: Joseph Manning
Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2012 11:35 AM
To: Tye Chapman
Subject: Thank you!

Hey IMG,

I am sitting in Seattle now, with clean clothes, and am a couple of showers post my incredible week on Rainier with IMG and the Glacier Skills Seminar. I am beginning to reflect on what an incredible week it was. It is not easy to put into careful words just how great the experience was. I find that it takes several weeks to really come down off of the mountain, my head is flooded with so many things about the experience. I was out of my comfort zone the whole week, from the first time I put on the loaded pack and we left from Paradise. I experienced many “firsts” that week. As a competitive cyclist for many years, I know what it feels like to be in a sport where everything is automatic. In my favorite new world of mountain climbing, everything still is new, and I felt like I had two left feet, ten thumbs and was focused, always focused, on (trying) to remember knots. Those damn knots. Was it a Butterfly knot here, or a clove hitch. “Hey Aaron…….” But you know what, the IMG guides were always besides me helping out, answering questions patiently, but also knowing that we students had to do it ourselves. That feeling of learning, of gaining confidence, slowly, of finally learning that knot, was a real joy. I was exhausted as Dustin and I reached Paradise. But I wanted to head back up hill the next day!

Now that I am back at sea level, and reading The Freedom of the Hills again, I realize how much we actually learned, and how I can build on this for the future. The amount of new knowledge, both positive- learning new things, and negative- learning what I need to improve on (pretty much an uncountable list in my case), was absolutely priceless. I am truly amazed that a week-long course like this, with world class guides, in a breathtakingly beautiful environment, actually costs so little. IMG courses and climbs (my kind of vacation for sure) truly are a bargain.

All of the guides were amazing, patient, highly skilled, giving of their time and experience and really great to be around. Like the Kili trip last fall, this IMG experience has to be chalked up in the “most memorable life experience” category. How great is that?

IMG, you all really offer those who come to you world class adventure as well as first class teaching that I, as someone who teaches for a living, truly appreciate. The Glacier Skills course was just an outstanding week. That goes for the weather too! Mountain climbing, it is often said, is best taken as a journey, not a destination. We did not summit, getting weathered off from 11,100, so I have to come back next Summer. But descending in the storm was a great experience itself, a real confidence builder.

Aaron, as Lead Guide, thanks so much for your superb leadership. Chris, thanks for your instruction, and Dustin, thanks for many things, especially for hanging back on the descent as I was fighting  a tummy bug. You guys are class acts all.

I hope you realize that on the ” what to improve” section of the Survey we filled out at headquarters, I was being facetious when I said that we could have had more personal attention. Not possible. We could not have been better treated by you all or by Tye back at headquarters.

Thanks guys, very much! IMG rocks. I can’t wait to get back into the Hills, and I am making plans for Spring and next Summer with IMG already! And I can’t wait for more instant oatmeal in some kitchen tent, up high, with the best guiding company on the planet.

Joe