Lhotse Summit Climb with International Mountain Guides

IMG's Himalayan programs are recognized worldwide as simply outstanding, with a reputation for our highly professional staff of leaders, climbers and Sherpas, first-rate logistics and our resulting safety and success record on the mountain. Since 1990, 450 IMG team members have summited the world's classic 8,000-meter peaks, including 209 on Everest.

Lhotse Summit Climb

April 5 - May 21, 2011

The Lhotse route follows the Everest route to above the Yellow Band, then splits off to "Lhotse Camp 4". Lhotse is a stiff climb, more difficult than Cho Oyu. Our Sherpa team will fix the route all the way to the summit, but there is near vertical ice and rock in the Lhotse couloir so you need to be very fit and capable. We figure you will use oxygen starting at C3 on the second rotation, then from C3 to Lhotse C4, overnight there, and on summit day. The goal would be to descend to C2 after the summit. During the acclimatization rotations on this climb you are with other members of the Lhotse team, Everest Express climbers, C2/C3 climbers, and IMG guides and Sherpas. IMG does not allow members to climb solo. For summit bids we will assign specific Sherpas and guides. Lots of steep climbing!

Nepal Base Camp Treks

Spring Nepal Treks »
Autumn Nepal Treks »

The trek to Everest/Lhotse Base Camp is simply classic, and we have two options for spring 2010. The March 30 group accompanies the climbers on the trek to BC. The May 3–21 trek to Base Camp will be led by Phu Tashi Sherpa from Pangboche, one of our top trek leaders. Phu Tashi has led treks for IMG for many years and when you go to Pangboche you can visit his home! This trek group will arrive at Base Camp just in time for the summit bids, a very exciting time to be at Base Camp. You will stay in comfortable lodges on the way to Base Camp and will be guests of the expedition team for three nights at Base Camp. Then, trek back out to Lukla with our crack Sherpa team for the flight to Kathmandu. This is a top quality trip in all respects.

Everest BC Trek and Lobuche Peak Summit Climb

April 5-28, 2011

If you would like to visit Everest Base Camp, and stay longer and go higher, bring your crampons and ice axe and add a climb of Lobuche Peak, over 20,000 feet. We first go to Everest Base Camp for better acclimatization, then our Lobuche climbers, guides, and Sherpas will drop one day back down the valley to climb this beautiful peak, with world class views of Everest from the summit. Afterward, trek back out to Lukla with our crack Sherpa team for the flight to Kathmandu. IMG has guided this climb many times and it is a favorite of ours! From the beautiful Lobuche Base Camp tucked up a side valley from the EBC trek route, the route climbs to a high camp, then from there up rock scrambling to the glacier, which leads to the summit ridge. The steeper parts of the climb to the ridge, on the summit day, are normally fixed with about 500 meters of rope. Lobuche Peak is a perfect objective if you are fit and have Mt. Rainier type skills. (ice axe, crampons, roped glacier travel). We will review use of fixed ropes for climbers who have not done this before.

Note on Dates

Dates are listed starting with the arrival day to Kathmandu to the arrival day back to Kathmandu at the end of the trip. The ending dates for the base camp treks are FIXED. The ending date for the Lhotse Climb is flexible, depending on weather and conditions. It would be normal to add several contingency days to these itineraries. Normally climbers will change their departure flights from Kathmandu when they know exactly when the expedition is going to end. We plan to stay at Base Camp for climbing until approximately the end of May, or as long as it takes for us to be successful.

Expedition Organization and Leadership

International Mountain Guides ("IMG")
IMG is the oldest and most respected high-altitude climbing service in the world and its three principals, Eric Simonson, Phil Ershler, and George Dunn, have led and organized hundreds of expeditions worldwide since 1975. Each is an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide with Himalayan expedition experience including Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Shishapangma, and Cho Oyu. IMG's Himalayan mountaineering programs are organized and directed by Eric Simonson, one of the world's premiere expedition organizers. Under his direction IMG has conducted over forty Himalayan expeditions. His teams include a group of professionals and Sherpas who are the best in the business. Since 1990, 450 IMG team members have summited the world's classic 8,000-meter peaks, including Everest, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma.

IMG's Philosophy
Our goal is to safely help as many team members as possible reach their goal, and we invest in the people and equipment that will make this happen. We value our reputation as the premiere international climbing company, and we only put programs in place that measure up to our own high standards. If you would like to join a world-class team, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your goals and qualifications and secure an exciting role for yourself on our expedition!

Ang Jangbu and the IMG Sherpa Team
A veteran of dozens of expeditions and an Everest summiter, Ang Jangbu has worked with Eric Simonson on every IMG Himalayan program since 1991 and is a very popular leader. Ang Jangbu Sherpa and his staff put together one of the very best Sherpa teams for IMG. We are proud to have a group of Sherpas working for us who are among the best paid, best led, best equipped, and best trained in the business.

References

Joining a high-altitude trek or expedition is a serious decision. You should be completely confident in the organization and leadership before you make that decision. Many of you have climbed with us before, and because your experience with us was good, you're considering another climb with us. For those of you who haven't climbed with us before, we strongly encourage you to interview us thoroughly and also talk to our past clients. When you're ready to make the decision, we'll be happy to provide you with a complete list of references. Please also browse comments online from our trekkers and climbers.