July 14, 2020

The start of the Rainier season is typically the first week of May, but this isn’t a typical year! After a 2 month delay, 30 IMG guides & staff came together for our annual guide training. The focus was a good mix of the mountain & Covid-19 protocols. Day 1 was spent here at HQ going through Covid-19 protocols & work-shopping some additional ideas & procedures. The highlight of the first day was the presentation by IMG Guide, Dr. Emily Johnston. Emily spent some time in New York City earlier this spring, needless to say she had a unique perspective. Her presentation was very informative & well received by the guides.

The second day was spent up at Paradise working on some short rope techniques & generally getting reacclimated with the mountain.

Later in the week several guides were on the upper mountain setting the route & working on our camps at Camp Muir & the Ingraham Flats.

It was a great first step towards another great season on Mt. Rainier. Our first group of climbers arrives on Thursday for their gear check!

Tye Chapman

May 21, 2020

The COVID-19 virus has been a serious blow to the country and the world at large. Here at IMG we are waiting and planning for better times to come. Mt Rainier National Park has given us indication that opening for guided climbs may be a possibility later this summer. We are currently preparing a plan to operate on the mountain that includes social distancing, single person tents on the Muir/DC route and as always, low climber to guide ratios.

IMG has not been able to operate so far during the months of May and June. On June 1 we will announce if we are able to proceed with climbs in the month of July. We remain confident that safer times are on their way and we will be ready when we are given the green light to start climbing.

We hope this finds you and your families well and managing the best you can during these difficult times. Our guides and staff are hanging in there with you. We look forward to the time when we can safely join with fellow climbers on Mt Rainier and practice our craft once again.

For those of you scheduled during the month of July, we will send out an announcement on June 1 to let you know your status. For climbers in the months of August and September we’ll do the same thing. We will announce the decision the first of the month prior to the month you are climbing in. Here’s hoping to see some of you in the mountains again soon!

For those of you who were scheduled for May and June climbs this year, we’ll see you in 2021. Thank you for rescheduling with us!

George Dunn, IMG Partner