Inca Trail Trekkers cross the Dead Woman’s Pass

July 4, 2022

Dustin and Audrey report from Peru that our Inca Trail team have now pushed over the Abra de Huarmihuanusca or Dead Woman’s Pass (about 13,800 ft) and dropped down to the Pacamayo camp (about 11,500 ft). This marks the first big hurdle of the Inca Trail, after a day and a half of steady climbing up from the valley of the Urabamba River. Now, for the next couple days, the trail follows the high ridges, up and down along the way, with some spectacular hiking before dropping down to Machu Picchu. So far, so good in Peru!

Eric Simonson

Climbing out of Pacamayo on the way to the second pass (Dustin Balderach)

Classic stone steps on the Inca Trail (Dustin Balderach)

Crossing the Urabamba River at the start of the Inca Trail (Dustin Balderach)

Rest break on the way to Dead Woman’s Pass (Dustin Balderach)

Peru Trekkers hit the Inca Trail

July 3, 2022

IMG guide Dustin Balderach reports that the team is all set to start the Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. “The team had a great tour of the Sacred Valley today with our amazing Peruvian guide, Juan. His depth of knowledge of the history and culture of Peru runs deep! We first stopped at a small, family-run alpaca yarn cooperative high above Cusco. Then enjoyed amazing views of a few of Peru’s 36 6,000m peaks. Then we visited a surface salt mine above the Sacred Valley fed by a natural salt-water spring – Neat! And finally toured the Inca and Pre-Inca ruins in the town of Ollaytaytambo near the start of the Inca Trail. We are about to head to dinner and I know I speak for the entire group when I say we are excited to be starting the world-famous Inca Trail tomorrow!! The weather has been great, which it typically is this time of year! Stayed tuned for some more incredible pics once we get back into cell range. All is great with IMG’s second Inca Trail crew!!”

Inca Trail Team 2 is ready to hike! (Dustin Balderach)

Hanging out at the salt mine (Dustin Balderach)

Incredible Stonework at Ollaytaytambo (Dustin Balderach)

IMG Teams Summiting in the PNW

July 2, 2022-

After a cold and snowy start to the spring, the weather has finally started to feel more like summer. With the change in the weather has come many more summits on Mt Rainier, Mt Baker, and other peaks in the Pacific Northwest. The heavy winter has led to a snow pack that far exceeds normal years which means great climbing conditions throughout the Cascades here in Washington!

Climbers at the Eagles Nest camp site after ascending the Fuhrers Finger (Justin Sackett)

Climbers ascending the Nisqually Glacier on Mt Rainier (Willie Webster)

Peru Inca Trail Team 1 heading home, Team 2 is on deck

June 30, 2022-

A big thanks to all the members of our first Inca Trail Team. Everyone did a great job on the rugged trek, wrapped it up with a nice visit to Machu Picchu and survived the famous train ride down along the Urabamba River back to Cusco. Well done!

View from the train heading down the Urabamba River to Cusco (Eric Simonson)

The red tile roofs of Cusco (Eric Simonson)

Now, after a day off to wash their laundry, our IMG guides Dustin, Audrey, and Juan report that our second Inca Trail Team have all safely arrived, with all their luggage. That is the way we like to start a trip!

Last night everyone went out to dinner and started to get to know each other. Today they are out doing the town of Cusco, with a visit to the several of the local archeological sites. We’ll look forward to getting a report from them.

All’s well in Peru!

Success on Denali

June 29, 2022 – Congratulations to our Denali Team 7 led by Forrest Baldwin! The team summited yesterday afternoon in spectacular weather and is currently descending towards base camp. This wraps a successful season on Denali for IMG, with all 7 of our teams reaching the summit of the highest peak in North America. Congratulations to all!

IMG climbers descend the West Buttress route on Denali (Keith Rumburg)

Kilimanjaro Summits

June 28, 2022 –

Kilimanjaro Summit on June 28, 2022 (Phunuru Sherpa)

Phunuru called to report the team had a beautiful summit this morning from Uhuru Peak, the top of Kilimanjaro, and a smooth descent back to the Barafu Camp. Now they are packing up and will continue their descent down to the Mweka Camp, near the treeline. And, after a well-deserved rest, they will finish off the descent back to Moshi in the morning, tomorrow.

Looking across the crater from Uhuru (Phunuru Sherpa)

We are super happy to finally have IMG climbers back on Kilimanjaro for the first time since February 2020. Things in Tanzania have improved significantly now, and we are looking forward to our upcoming Kili 2022 trips in July, September, December and February 2023. Our local Chagga staff are also very happy, as they have had no work for over two years. This is a big step in the right direction.

Looking west at sunrise at Kilimanjaro’s shadow (Phunuru Sherpa)

Kilimanjaro climbers ready to climb

The last two days have been great acclimatization for the team, with successive nights at 13,000 feet. Yesterday they left Barranco Camp and climbed the Barranco “wall” which is steep trail where you need to “use your hands” in a couple places. Then, they traversed below the Southern Glaciers to the Karanga Valley Camp at about 13,000. This is one of the most spectacular parts of the climb!

Today the team climbed from Karanga up to the Barafu Camp at about 15,000 feet. Arriving early, they had time for big lunch, and an afternoon spent resting and preparing for the climb. They will be leaving at about 1AM for the summit so we’ll be looking forward to getting a sat phone call tomorrow that they made the top!

Eric Simonson

Kilimanjaro from Karanga Camp (Phunuru Sherpa)

The steep spot on the ascent of the Barranco Wall (Eric Simonson)

Great view from the top of the Barranco Wall (Phunuru Sherpa)

Last Day on the Inca Trail

IMG guides Dustin and Audrey report that the team wrapped up the Inca Trail in good form, and entered Machu Picchu with the morning sun. They have had a great hike, with lots of up and down on steep stone steps, just like the Incas ! If you like rugged hiking and hanging out with a fun group, this is the one. And, a big thanks to our local Quechua cooks and porter crew.

The team are now down in Aguas Calientes, enjoying the hotel after four solid days on the trail. Tomorrow they will go back up to the Machu Pucchu citadel and then hike up one of the nearby mountains for the big view before taking the train back to Cusco.

All’s well in Peru!

Eric Simonson

Last day on the trail (Dustin Balderach)

The end of the Inca Trail! (Dustin Balderach)

Traversing the Inca Trail

IMG guides Dustin and Audrey report that the team is doing well. They are right in the heart of the Inca Trail now, traversing from Pacamayo to Phuyupatamarca. Today they had some nice up and down hiking, in places rather steep as their route follows the historic stone pathway to the Machu Picchu citadel. As they follow the ridge line towards Machu Picchu they pass through numerous ruins along the way. The ruins at Sayacmarca are noteworthy, built on the edge of a cliff, to defend the trail! Tomorrow the team will be up early and will finish off the trek to Machu Picchu, which they will enter from above, through the Sun Gate. It is quite an experience!

Eric Simonson

On the Inca Trail to Phuyupatamarca (Eric Simonson)

Kili climbers reach Barranco Camp

Today was a gorgeous day of trekking for our custom Kili team. Phunuru Sherpa reports that the weather was excellent and the team was able to reach Lava Tower Camp at 4600m in time for lunch, before dropping down into the Barranco Valley and the camp at 13,000 ft. Along the way they were treated with great views of the Western Breach and the Breach Wall. Barranco is a great campsite, with good water and clusters of groundsel, lobelia and other colorful plants! At night you can see the lights of Moshi down below, and the stars of the southern hemisphere sky stretching out to the horizon. Tomorrow the team will climb the Barranco Wall and traverse below the southern glaciers to the Karanga Camp. So far so good on Kilimanjaro!

Eric Simonson

On the way to Lava Tower (Phunuru Sherpa)

Looking up at the Western Breach (Phunuru Sherpa)

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Inca Trail Trekkers cross the Dead Woman’s Pass

July 4, 2022 Dustin and Audrey report from Peru that our Inca Trail team have now pushed over the Abra...
Peru Trekkers hit the Inca Trail

July 3, 2022 IMG guide Dustin Balderach reports that the team is all set to start the Inca Trail trek...
IMG Teams Summiting in the PNW

July 2, 2022- After a cold and snowy start to the spring, the weather has finally started to feel more...
Peru Inca Trail Team 1 heading home, Team 2 is on deck

June 30, 2022- A big thanks to all the members of our first Inca Trail Team. Everyone did a great...
Success on Denali

June 29, 2022 – Congratulations to our Denali Team 7 led by Forrest Baldwin! The team summited yesterday afternoon in...
Kilimanjaro Summits

June 28, 2022 – Phunuru called to report the team had a beautiful summit this morning from Uhuru Peak, the...