Travel for IMRC 2020
First visit to USA or not familiar with the USA?
The United States of America is a nation of nearly 330 million people and is home to many cultures and a wide variety of ethnic groups, traditions, and values. The geography of the country includes a wide range of climate types, from the frozen ice caps of Alaska and the tropical rainforests of Hawaii, to the steaming desert of Arizona and the temperate forest of West Virginia.
Travel Visas
For information on obtaining a security clearance to attend the 2020 IMRC, please contact MSHA's International Liaisons Trina Tate at 202.693.9473 or tate.trina@dol.gov, or Christine Mayhugh at 202.693.9609 or mayhugh.christine@dol.gov.
Helpful Government links:
Traveling by Air?
The competition organizers highly recommend flying into the Beckley-Raleigh County Memorial Airport (BKW) which is adjacent to the MSHA Academy. This will facilitate traveling with luggage, equipment, and transportation to the Glade Springs Resort (official hotel for the competition).
Visiting West Virginia
West Virginia is located in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains, which extend north into southeastern Canada and south to the US State of Alabama. September in West Virginia brings the fall season, and the leaves will likely have started changing to their orange and red autumn colors just in time for the 2020 IMRC. Temperatures range from 44°F (6.7°C) to 80°F (26.7°C) with an average high temperature of about 70°F (21.1°C). September typically sees 3" (76.2mm) to 4" (101.6mm) of rain and 15 days of sun.
There will likely be some cold winds and the temperatures will drop in the evening, so all-weather clothing is recommended with something warmer if you plan to do additional outdoor activities.
Suggested Dress
Teams should be similarly dressed (i.e: matching polo shirts, etc.) for their team photos on Saturday, September 12, 2020. Opening Ceremonies and other social events will be casual dress.
Closing ceremonies will be held at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center and will be more formal. Most teams will prefer to wear a suit jacket, shirt, and tie. During competition events, competitors must wear clothing and personal protective equipment as explained in the Rules.
The Beaver/Beckley, West Virginia Area
The town of Beaver was named for the large number of Beavers in its creeks during the early days of the settlement, around 1860. The town is only 4.4 square miles (11.4 km2), and is directly adjacent to Beckley, a small city with a population of around 16,000 people. Beckley is sometimes called "The Gateway to Southern West Virginia" and boasts the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia as two popular tourist attractions.
View our Local Attractions Guide to see more things to do and places to go close to the IMRC 2020 event location.