About International Mountain Equipment
International Mountain Equipment — known throughout New England as IME — has been a landmark of North Conway's outdoor scene since 1974. Located on White Mountain Highway in the center of town, the store is a mecca for climbers, ice climbers, backcountry skiers, and hikers who come to the Mount Washington Valley to tackle some of the most demanding terrain in the eastern United States. The building is impossible to miss, and stepping inside feels like entering a museum of mountain culture — the walls are lined with photos of legendary first ascents and local climbing history.
IME carries an encyclopaedic selection of climbing hardware, mountaineering boots, alpine touring skis, technical outerwear, and camping gear from brands like Petzl, Black Diamond, La Sportiva, Arc'teryx, and Western Mountaineering. Rental gear includes climbing shoes, ice tools, crampons, helmets, snowshoes, and backcountry ski touring setups — essential for visitors who want to climb Cathedral Ledge, tick off a winter ascent of Mount Washington, or tour the backcountry glades of Tuckerman Ravine without shipping their own equipment across the country.
Upstairs, the International Mountain Climbing School (IMCS) operates as a separate but affiliated guide service, offering ice climbing courses, rock climbing instruction, mountaineering skills clinics, and guided summit attempts on Mount Washington. The symbiosis between the shop and the school means you can rent every piece of gear you need, get expert instruction, and be on the cliff or the summit trail the same day. For the serious mountain enthusiast visiting North Conway, IME is the anchor institution — equal parts gear shop, climbing school, and community hub.
