ElCap Report 5/22/09
By Tom Evans

ElCap Report 5/21/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… really a sweet day here, even out in the meadow with the sun beating down.  The Nose still commands most of the teams on the mighty ElCap.  I hear that several teams are about to pounce but I will believe it when I see it.  SE face will be devoid of climbers east of Mescalito tomorrow…. Where are the Zodiac masses we usually see lined up on the route?  MIA. 
But not to worry because in spite of everything I am still here, hopefully at the Bridge itself tomorrow, to record all the action on the big stone Trades or not.  Mostly the Trades these days.

ElCap Report 5/20/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… what a sweet today in the EC Meadow.  Sunny but not too warm with a nice breeze from the west all day.  The big Trades were getting most of the action with the Nose by far the most busy.  The Salathe is getting some traffic but not much.  Everything from Mescalito to the East Butt is open.  So where are you my dedicated readers…sitting at home, wasting away, living the dream through the ECR?  Well get a life and bring it to Yosemite.

ElCap Report 5/19/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… Much cooler today but with a touch of humidity.  Nice clouds drifting by all day but never developed into a storm, much to the delight of various wives and mothers who happened by to see their boys on the wall.  I hung out with Jerry Miller, a guy who also takes shots of climbers from the meadow but has a super duper telescope and various computer items that put my little rig to shame.  You can contact him for shots if you were climbing on the wall recently.  We had a nice time comparing notes and swapping photography stories.  The Bridge was way closed today and I couldn’t even get close to it but had a good time hanging with Jerry.
 

ElCap Report 5/18/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… you know how I said there was no way it would rain today?  Well, I was wrong, really wrong!!  It started out nice enough with some high clouds and cooler temperatures.  Then some rumblings were heard from the vicinity of the Dome.  Matt got a cell message, around 1pm, from KFC and Josh as they were coming down from their 6 hr ascent of the RegNWFace of the Dome.  They said to hold on tight because the storm was a wild one and was headed down valley.  Very dark clouds with much lightning and loud thunder were soon upon us here at the Bridge.  Torrential rains burst upon us and we were in the shit for sure!  Immediately Horse Tail Falls, heretofore dry as a bone, was a torrent pouring over the rim.  Even Middle Cathedral Rx had a waterfall coming down it about 100 ft west of the Central Pillar of Frenzy.  Portaledges went up fast for those with them and the rest just suffered.  It was quite a show for those of us here watching from the meadow.  By 4pm it was all over.

Elcap Report 5/17/09
By Tom Evans
Yo.. Well it was hot today, as advertised, but that didn’t seem to deter the serious climbers from giving it a go on the Captain.  They, of course, are all volunteers, and theirs is a journey who’s conclusion is uncertain.  Improvements in the weather are just a couple of days away so be ready when the heat breaks.
Today’s ECR is brought to you by one Scott Stowe, guide extraordinaire, last seen climbing toward Dolt Tower in the blinding glare and heat, client Michael in tow.  Lori brought the girls down to see their dad hauling the freight and they got to see him close up through the telescope. 
So turn off the ball game, finish that last cheese burger, swill down the dregs of that beer and settle in to read today’s ElCap Report written just for you, Pukes of all kinds….. Here it is….

ElCap Report 5/16/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… Pretty freakin hot today in the Ditch.  As a result of the heat there were not many takers stepping up on the Big Stone.  You may have noticed in recent days the pictures were not as sharp as the ones from the Fall.  The sun is very high in the sky now and most of the light is not reflected back to my camera and the view is kind of stark.  Also, the air is hazy with water vapor from the falls and pollen from the pines.  Plus… who dresses these pukes anyway?!!  Fall is the time to shoot ElCap but what the hell… I am here anyway because my band of followers, that’s you guys, would not make it to fall without  the ElCap Report.  So here I am suffering in silence as I always do!

ElCap Report 5/15/09
By Tom Evans

Yo… man was it hot today, and they say it will get hotter by the weekend.  So if you can stand the heat then put a few cold ones in your pack, tell your loved one that you have important business on the internet, close the door and step into my world here at the world’s most famous and influential Bridge.  Even though the Bridge is closed until late next week for repaving, I was still there, at the west end in the blazing sun, to shoot pics and inform the woefully ignorant Tourons about how those ropes got up there so the climbers could climb up them.  Today was the first day of the YCA’s new program, “Ask a climber”.  I happen to be the man with the answers to all questions, good or bad ones included.  I devote two hours a day to set up the telescope and have equipment out so that the Tourons can really understand what is going on up there on the Captain.  It seems like I have been doing that for many years in the past but 8 hours a day!

ElCap Report 5/14/09

 By Tom Evans

Yo.. Well here we are at last… your man is finally here on the scene! Nice, warm day here in the Valley. Must have been pretty hot up on the Cap today! The usual routes were getting the action today with most of it on the Nose as you could have guessed. So Cubicle Pukes, put down any “real” work you are doing and act busy but by all means come along with me to the fabled El Capitan, where the bailers bailed and the senders sent. Today’s ElCap Report is here right now.