Expeditions · Company records 2026
International Mountain Guides Review 2026: Climb Prices, Owner, Booking Terms and a Record Score of 55
International Mountain Guides scores 55 out of 100 as a company record: the Ashford, Washington guide service, founded in 1986 and solely owned by Eric Simonson since January 2022, prices Denali, Aconcagua and eleven Mount Rainier programmes for 2027, but sells its Everest, Vinson and Carstensz climbs by inquiry and publishes no financial protection. This record covers the company behind the climbs: who owns it, what a climb costs, its booking terms, its guides and Sherpa team, its safety facts as printed, reviews and the gaps. Our Everest and Seven Summits indexes linked below rank the climbs themselves; this page scores the company.
Verified 26 September 2026 · mountainguides.com about, guide, founder, programme, policy and travel insurance pages · the National Park Service · Tripadvisor and Trustpilot
Is this your company? Correct a fact. International Mountain Guides can correct any line of this record through the contact page. Corrections are logged with the previous value kept, and the score moves only if the evidence does.
How International Mountain Guides scores: 55 out of 100
International Mountain Guides scores 55 out of 100: full marks for pricing transparency and a long guide roster, held back by no 24-hour number, weak review evidence and no financial protection found. Our Seven Summits operator index gives International Mountain Guides 0 of 25 for price, stating it publishes no price for any of the seven peaks; that line needs correcting, since IMG's own Denali and Aconcagua pages, two of those seven, print 2027 prices. That index scores what each climb discloses peak by peak; this record scores what a buyer can check before paying, its terms, protection and reviews, where International Mountain Guides has less to show.
| Criterion | Points | Out of | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning depth | 21 | 25 | Its guides page names more than 30 guides with certifications and records, such as Justin Merle, an AMGA certified alpine guide, and the sirdar Ang Pasang Sherpa, with 31 Everest expeditions (8 of 8). Owner Eric Simonson, guiding since 1973, lists 298 Rainier summits and seventeen 8,000 m expeditions (4 of 4). Seven countries and territories across its climbs (3 of 5). Itineraries run day by day, as for Kilimanjaro, but name only a "group hotel in Moshi" (3 of 5). Trading since 1986 (3 of 3). |
| On-the-ground cover | 7 | 20 | Only the office line, 360-569-2609, with no hours and no 24-hour number (0 of 7). Its Ashford office sits at the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, where it holds a guiding concession, and it names its Sherpa team and sirdar in Nepal; nothing in the other regions (5 of 8). "Our Everest programs are led by our IMG Senior guides", with no such statement for its other climbs (2 of 5). |
| Pricing transparency | 20 | 20 | 13 programmes priced with 2027 dates: eleven on Mount Rainier, from USD 365 for a Camp Muir hike to USD 4,095 for a seven-day Baker and Rainier seminar, Denali at USD 13,400 and Aconcagua at USD 9,800; Everest, Vinson and Carstensz say "inquire" (8 of 8). Inclusions listed with the prices (5 of 5). US dollars with 2027 dates (4 of 4). A USD 500 registration fee, the balance 120 days before, and "All fees paid to IMG are non-refundable" (3 of 3). |
| Review evidence | 7 | 20 | Tripadvisor 3.0 from two reviews (3 of 12). No second platform with reviews: its Trustpilot page has none (0 of 4). Newest Tripadvisor review June 2026 (4 of 4). |
| Financial protection | 0 | 15 | Home market Washington State. No USTOA membership, no seller of travel number and no trust account statement found (0 of 15). |
| Total | 55 | 100 | Company record score, 26 September 2026. |
International Mountain Guides publishes a fixed price and date for its Rainier, Denali and Aconcagua programmes, and names a long-tenured Sherpa team with individual summit counts led by a sirdar of nearly three decades. It does not publish an Everest price, a 24-hour number or any financial protection, and a set of detailed summit statistics it showed as recently as September has since gone from its homepage.
The evidence record
The record holds 17 facts about International Mountain Guides, each with its source and grade. Grade A means the company's own site or terms; grade B means a registry, review platform, awarding body or major press; grade C means a secondary source not confirmed elsewhere. Every line was read on 26 September 2026 unless its source says otherwise.
| Attribute | Value | Source · grade |
|---|---|---|
| Company | International Mountain Guides, LLC, a Washington State Limited Liability Company | About · A |
| Registered or head office | 31111 SR 706 E, Ashford, WA 98304 (map) | About · A |
| Founded | 1986 | About · A |
| Owner and leaders | Eric Simonson, sole owner since January 2022, having taken over management in January 2021; co-founders Phil Ershler and George Dunn are now retired partners, Ershler's retirement made official in December 2022 | Simonson · A; Ershler · A |
| Guides | More than 30 named guides with certifications, such as chief guide Justin Merle, an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide with nine Everest summits, and sirdar Ang Pasang Sherpa, with 31 Everest expeditions since 1997 | Guides · A |
| Presence | One office, at Ashford, at the entrance to Mount Rainier National Park, where IMG was one of three companies, with Alpine Ascents International and Rainier Mountaineering, awarded a 10-year guiding concession in 2016; a named Sherpa team and sirdar in Nepal; no office in its other regions | About · A; National Park Service · B |
| Phone and support | 360-569-2609, with no hours published and no 24-hour number | About · A |
| Climbs and countries | Seven countries and territories: the United States, Nepal, Argentina, Tanzania, Russia, Indonesia and Antarctica | Programme sitemap · A |
| Prices | Everest Classic, Hybrid and Private all say "Please inquire for expedition dates and pricing"; Denali is USD 13,400 and Aconcagua USD 9,800 for 2027, and eleven Mount Rainier programmes for 2027 run from USD 365 to at least USD 4,095 | Everest South · A; Denali · A; Rainier programmes · A |
| Deposit and balance | A non-refundable USD 500 registration fee per person on Rainier climbs, due at registration, with the balance 120 days before arrival | Rainier policies · A |
| Cancellation | "All fees paid to IMG are non-refundable and non-transferable without exception" | Rainier policies · A |
| Financial protection | Home market Washington State. No USTOA membership, no seller of travel number and no trust account statement found; international clients must buy medical evacuation and repatriation insurance | Travel insurance requirement · A |
| Reviews | Tripadvisor 3.0 from two reviews, newest June 2026, one describing a Denali climb; no reviews on its unclaimed Trustpilot page | Tripadvisor · B; Trustpilot · B |
| Safety facts as printed | Everest oxygen 3 litres a minute from Camp 2 on Classic, 4 litres a minute on summit day on Hybrid; Denali one guide per two climbers, an eight-climber cap and four guides | Everest South · A; Denali · A |
| Memberships | No company-level AMGA accredited-business claim found; individual guides hold AMGA, IFMGA or UIAGM certifications | Guides · A |
| Our other pages | Named on our Everest expedition operators index with 2025 prices; scores 59/100, eighth, on our Seven Summits operator index, which credits it with no peak price | Everest expedition operators index · B; Seven Summits operator index · B |
| Anything material | Detailed summit statistics shown on the homepage in a 22 September check, over 600 Everest summits since 1990, a 100% Kilimanjaro record since 1989, no missed Vinson summit since 1988, are gone by 26 September; the homepage now states only "Since 1986 we have conducted thousands of expeditions" | Homepage · A |
Who owns International Mountain Guides?
Eric Simonson has been sole owner of International Mountain Guides since January 2022, after co-founders Phil Ershler and George Dunn became retired partners.
Simonson, guiding since 1973 with 298 Rainier summits over 53 consecutive years and seventeen 8,000 metre expeditions, took over management in January 2021 and ownership in January 2022. Ershler, a co-founder, turned over his interest in IMG to Simonson, with his retirement made official in December 2022; George Dunn, the third co-founder, is also now a retired partner. International Mountain Guides has traded since 1986.
How International Mountain Guides compares on price and safety disclosure with the rest of the field is in our Seven Summits operator index.
Who guides an International Mountain Guides climb
International Mountain Guides names more than 30 Western guides with certifications and records, alongside a long-tenured Sherpa team led by a sirdar of nearly three decades.
Justin Merle, chief guide and an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide, has nine Everest summits and more than 20 Himalayan expeditions; Maximo Henostroza is UIAGM and UIAA certified with more than 25 years guiding. In Nepal, sirdar Ang Pasang Sherpa has worked for IMG since 1997 with 31 Everest expeditions, and Phunuru Sherpa, a Khumbu Climbing Center lead instructor, holds the current record of 19 Cho Oyu summits. IMG states only that "our Everest programs are led by our IMG Senior guides", a claim not repeated for its other climbs. What a guided high-altitude climb involves day to day is covered in our high-altitude trekking insurance guide.
How much does an International Mountain Guides climb cost?
International Mountain Guides publishes 2027 prices for Denali, Aconcagua and eleven Mount Rainier programmes, from USD 365 to at least USD 4,095, but sells Everest, Vinson and Carstensz by inquiry only. All prices below were read on 26 September 2026 on International Mountain Guides' own programme pages; only a current or future date counts toward this record's pricing score.
| Climb | Length | Dates shown | Price, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denali | 22 days | 12 May to 2 June 2027 | USD 13,400 |
| Aconcagua, 360 Route | 19 days | 3 to 22 January 2027 | USD 9,800, landcost |
| Mount Rainier, Camp Muir Day Hike | 1 day | not stated | USD 365 |
| Mount Rainier, 3.5-Day Summit Climb | 3.5 days | non-peak example 3 to 6 May 2027; peak season 14 June to 15 August | USD 2,895 non-peak, USD 3,395 peak |
| Mount Rainier and Mount Baker Seminar | 7 days | not stated | USD 4,095 |
| Mount Rainier, 3.5-Day Custom Summit Climb | 3.5 days | not stated | USD 28,760 |
Aconcagua's landcost excludes an additional permit fee of about USD 1,500, not paid to IMG. Everest Classic, Hybrid and Private, Vinson and Carstensz all say "please inquire for expedition dates and pricing"; Mount Elbrus will not run in 2026 because IMG states it will not climb in Russia that year. General Everest cost bands across operators are in our Everest cost guide, and Seven Summits pricing across the field in our Seven Summits operator index.
International Mountain Guides booking terms and financial protection
International Mountain Guides takes a non-refundable USD 500 registration fee on its Rainier climbs and states plainly that every fee it is paid is non-refundable and non-transferable.
| When you pay | What happens if you cancel |
|---|---|
| The USD 500 registration fee, due at registration | Non-refundable in every case |
| The balance, due 120 days before arrival | "All fees paid to IMG are non-refundable and non-transferable without exception" |
No graduated cancellation scale by days before departure is published, unlike some other operators in this batch; IMG instead advises buying trip cancellation insurance, without requiring it. No USTOA membership, seller-of-travel number or trust account statement was found on any page read; international climbers must buy their own medical evacuation and repatriation insurance, per its travel insurance page. How that compares with operators carrying a numbered scheme is in our Seven Summits operator index.
Support on the mountain and at home
International Mountain Guides publishes one office line with no stated hours and no separate 24-hour or emergency number.
The only number found, 360-569-2609, carries no hours and no emergency label, and no dispatch or satellite-update system for families is stated on the pages read. On Mount Rainier, IMG holds one of three National Park Service concessions awarded for a 10-year term in 2016, alongside Alpine Ascents International and Rainier Mountaineering. Insurance for high-altitude evacuation is covered in our high-altitude trekking insurance guide.
Safety facts International Mountain Guides prints
International Mountain Guides prints an oxygen rate and a guide ratio for Everest and Denali; these facts are reported on this page, not scored.
| Safety fact | As International Mountain Guides prints it | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Oxygen allocation | Everest Classic: 3 litres a minute from Camp 2. Hybrid: 4 litres a minute on summit day. Private: a custom oxygen plan | Everest South · A |
| Guide and Sherpa ratios | Everest Classic: 1:1 Nepalese guide. Hybrid: 1:2. Private: 1:1 senior IMG guide. Denali: one guide per two climbers, an eight-climber cap and four guides | Everest South · A; Denali · A |
| Rescue and medical cover | No dedicated Base Camp doctor or evacuation statement found; international climbers must buy their own medical evacuation and repatriation insurance | Travel insurance requirement · A |
| Summit or safety claims | "Since 1986 we have conducted thousands of expeditions"; more detailed summit statistics shown in a 22 September check are no longer on the homepage | Homepage · A |
These figures are as International Mountain Guides prints them; this record reports them and does not score them. A June 2026 Tripadvisor review of a Denali climb states that only three guides went above high camp for eight clients on summit day, against the four-guide ratio IMG states on its own Denali page.
What International Mountain Guides reviews say
International Mountain Guides holds 3.0 out of 5 on Tripadvisor from two reviews and has no reviews on its unclaimed Trustpilot page.
Its Tripadvisor listing shows two reviews, the newest from June 2026; one describes a Denali climb and states only three guides were sent above high camp for eight clients on summit day, discussed further in the safety section above. No BBB profile could be found for International Mountain Guides. Why reviews often collect on one platform rather than another is explained in our guide to review platforms.
Who International Mountain Guides suits, and who it does not
International Mountain Guides suits climbers who want a long-established Rainier and Denali guide service with a fixed price and a stable, individually named Sherpa team on Everest.
It suits less well a buyer who wants an Everest, Vinson or Carstensz price before calling, a 24-hour number, or an independent review platform with more than two reviews to weigh. Everest cost bands across operators, and the permit rules in force, are in our Everest cost guide.
International Mountain Guides: the decisions that come next
Most International Mountain Guides prices exclude international flights and gateway city hotel nights, so paying the deposit, choosing a flight and insuring the climb are still the climber's own decisions.
| Decision | What matters for an International Mountain Guides climb | Where we cover it |
|---|---|---|
| Paying the deposit | A USD 500 registration fee is non-refundable from the moment it is paid, so the card used decides what purchase protection applies. | Best luxury travel credit cards; Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve |
| Reaching Ashford, Talkeetna or Kathmandu | None of IMG's fares include the flight to Seattle, Anchorage or Kathmandu. | Best business class airlines; best first class airlines |
| Airport time | A long connection through Doha, Delhi or Dubai to Kathmandu is where a lounge pays for itself. | Credit cards with airport lounge access |
| A delayed or cancelled flight | A disrupted flight from a UK or EU airport can carry fixed compensation of up to 520 pounds or 600 euros, a separate claim from anything IMG owes. | AirHelp vs ClaimCompass vs Skycop vs Flightright |
| Nights either side | IMG names no Kathmandu or Mendoza hotel, so a night either side is booked separately, and status still brings breakfast and late checkout. | Hilton Diamond vs Marriott Titanium vs Hyatt Globalist |
| Insuring the climb | International trips require medical evacuation and repatriation cover; high-altitude policies are compared in our guide. | high-altitude trekking insurance guide; notable mountain destinations guide |
Where IMG stands on Uncompromised Travel
International Mountain Guides appears on two Uncompromised Travel pages and holds a ranked position on one of them.
| Page | Position | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Everest expedition operators index | Named, not ranked | Prints Classic USD 54,000, Hybrid USD 72,000 and Private USD 123,000, labelled 2025 prices with 2027 on enquiry; IMG's own Everest South page now says "please inquire" for all three |
| Seven Summits operator index | No. 8, 59/100 | Scores IMG 0 of 25 for price, stating it publishes no price for any of the seven peaks; IMG's own Denali and Aconcagua pages, two of those seven, print 2027 prices, so that line needs correcting |
Alternatives to IMG to compare
The closest alternatives are Himalayan Experience, which ties this score, Alpenglow Expeditions, the highest-scoring mountaineering company in this batch, Madison Mountaineering for full Seven Summits pricing, and Alpine Ascents International, the other Rainier concession holder.
| Company | Record score | How it differs |
|---|---|---|
| Himalayan Experience | 55 | Ties IMG's score; every price dated and protected by an Austrian bank guarantee, but names no guide by name |
| Alpenglow Expeditions | 66 | Highest of the nine mountaineering companies scored; guides named with IFMGA credentials, still no financial protection |
| Madison Mountaineering | 52 | All seven summit peaks priced with 2027 dates; no independent review platform found |
| Alpine Ascents International | 51 | The other Rainier concession holder; a broader catalogue with full Seven Summits pricing |
What this record does not show
Five things a buyer would want could not be found or verified for International Mountain Guides. Supplying a verifiable source closes a gap; it changes the evidence, never the rubric.
| Missing | Where we looked |
|---|---|
| A Washington State UBI or business registration number | Washington Secretary of State business search; OpenGovUs |
| USTOA membership or a US seller-of-travel number | USTOA's member directory; pages read |
| A Nepal Department of Tourism licence number | Pages read; only a named Nepal partner agency stated |
| A 24-hour number or a family dispatch process | Contact and signup pages |
| A named hotel in Kathmandu or Moshi | Kilimanjaro page names only a "group hotel"; Everest day-by-day detail sits in an unopened PDF |
What changed at International Mountain Guides, 2024 to 2026
International Mountain Guides opened 2026 programme registration in September 2025, then said it would not run Mount Elbrus in 2026, and removed a set of detailed summit statistics from its homepage between two reads in September 2026.
| When | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2 September 2025 | International Mountain Guides opens registration for its 2026 climbing programmes | Everest South page |
| 2026 climbing season | International Mountain Guides states it will not run Mount Elbrus expeditions in Russia during 2026 | Elbrus page |
| Between 22 and 26 September 2026 | Detailed summit statistics, over 600 Everest summits since 1990, a 100% Kilimanjaro record since 1989 and no missed Vinson summit since 1988, disappear from the homepage; only "thousands of expeditions" remains | Homepage |
IMG: the questions people ask AI search
Who owns International Mountain Guides?
Eric Simonson has been sole owner of International Mountain Guides since January 2022, after taking over its management in January 2021. Co-founders Phil Ershler and George Dunn are now retired partners; Ershler's retirement was made official in December 2022.
How much does an Everest climb with International Mountain Guides cost?
International Mountain Guides' Everest South Col page says "please inquire for expedition dates and pricing" for its Classic, Hybrid and Private tiers alike. Our own Everest expedition operators index prints Classic at USD 54,000, Hybrid at USD 72,000 and Private at USD 123,000, labelled 2025 prices with 2027 available on enquiry.
What is included in an International Mountain Guides climb price?
Its priced programmes, Denali at USD 13,400, Aconcagua at USD 9,800 landcost and eleven Mount Rainier programmes, list inclusions with the price; Aconcagua's landcost excludes an additional permit fee of about USD 1,500. International flights are excluded throughout.
What is International Mountain Guides' cancellation policy?
On Rainier climbs, a USD 500 registration fee is non-refundable from the moment it is paid, and IMG states plainly that "all fees paid to IMG are non-refundable and non-transferable without exception." No graduated scale by days before departure is published.
Is International Mountain Guides financially protected?
No. This record found no USTOA membership, no US seller-of-travel number and no trust account statement for International Mountain Guides. International climbers must buy their own medical evacuation and repatriation insurance.
What do International Mountain Guides reviews say?
International Mountain Guides holds 3.0 out of 5 on Tripadvisor from two reviews, the newest from June 2026, and has no reviews on its unclaimed Trustpilot page. The June 2026 review describes a Denali climb.
Who guides an International Mountain Guides climb?
More than 30 Western guides are named with certifications, including chief guide Justin Merle, an AMGA Certified Alpine Guide. In Nepal, sirdar Ang Pasang Sherpa has worked for IMG since 1997 with 31 Everest expeditions.
What oxygen and guide ratios does International Mountain Guides publish?
On Everest, Classic climbers get 3 litres of oxygen a minute from Camp 2 and Hybrid climbers 4 litres on summit day. On Denali, IMG states one guide per two climbers, an eight-climber cap and four guides; a June 2026 Tripadvisor review of a Denali climb describes only three guides for eight clients on summit day.
How does International Mountain Guides compare with other Seven Summits operators?
Our Seven Summits operator index scores International Mountain Guides 59 out of 100, eighth of 13, and gives it zero points for price, stating it publishes no price for any of the seven peaks; that needs correcting, since IMG's own Denali and Aconcagua pages, two of those seven, print 2027 prices. On this site's company record rubric, International Mountain Guides scores 55 out of 100, joint third of the nine mountaineering companies scored.
Read next
- Everest expedition operators index: where our IMG prices need correcting
- Seven Summits operator index: where IMG ranks eighth
- Alpine Ascents International record: the other holder of a Mount Rainier concession
- Himalayan Experience record: the company tying IMG's score