ElCap Report 9/21/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… I got up this morning to clear skies and figured the bet I had with Blake Burwell, that there would be no rain today, was safe.  I cruised down to the Cap to do my daily shooting and secured a good spot in the meadow.  Soon clouds started streaming in from the south west and soon the sky was overcast and had a bad look to it.  I had fun shooting as a cloudy day is the best to get details without high contrast shade and sun.  About 1:30pm it really started looking grim so I made a dash for the Bridge and shortly thereafter the sky opened up and it has been pouring ever since.  I am afraid to even go to my tent and am holed up here in the Mt. Room Bar, doing the Report.  Camp 4 will be a swamp of wet misery.. oh the humanity!!

ElCap Report 9/20/13

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Today, climbing continued on ElCap under very windy conditions.  The wind blew pretty hard from 10:30 to about 3pm today at the Bridge and one can only assume it was howling up higher.  However, I don’t think it caused any problems.  Tomorrow they are calling for a fair chance of rain, which would be very welcomed at this point. 

The leaves on Maples and Oaks are starting to turn now, but not like we want.  It seems the leaves are rapidly turning brown and then falling off the trees.  Not good!  The Sugar Maple, by the Chapel, is suffering the same fate thus far.

ElCap Report 9/19/13

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Beautiful weather continues to send the crews marching to the Captain.  Lots of action on the Nose, but not much else.  I had a shot of Joe fixing the brakes on my van yesterday and hear that one can’t legally fix cars in the Valley.  I’m not sure if it is true, but you can see what a problem it could cause, so use the local garage for work requiring removing or replacing parts. 

The Face Lift is coming in a week or so and we would like all the help we can get to clean up the park.  Great entertainment is on hand with the premier showing of the film, “Assault on ElCap” kicking off the event.  If you have ever been to a Face Lift then you know it is a lot of fun and valuable prizes will be given away.

ElCap Report 9/18/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Cooler today with some high clouds.  The Cap had a fair number of climbers on it but could hold a whole lot more.  That means that all you “Real” climbers should plan on hitting it soon.  I need to get some sleep do I will dispense with the normal bull crap and get right to the Report.

Today’s ElCap Report…written just for you…unique in all the world!

ElCap Report 9/17/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Spectacular day today with blue bird skies!  The action on the Captain is slacking off so all you “real wall climbers” get your butts out here.  The clock is ticking and I’m only getting older!  Tons of folks at the Bridge today and Erik Sloan hung in there, doing his usual good job.  In the early afternoon some Touron asked me a question (oh the humanity!) and I automatically went into my teaching mode, explaining about camming units and protection… after I realized what I had done, Erik asked if I was all right!  Old habits die hard!  Not my job anymore!!  These days I just hand off everyone to Erik or Roger and go about shooting!

ElCap Report 9/15/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Ok the Report is back and all your anxiety was for nothing!  Rumors abound around the Valley about my demise, but the Report lives on.  Still some smoke in the Valley from time to time but nothing we can’t deal with.  I arrived on the 12^th of Sept. to see a cliff that was not getting much action but now things are on the move.  This report will cover the last 4 days, today included.  So take a break Cupcakes, Cubicle Pukes, Internet Climbers, and get ready for today’s report … ditch the kids, the spouse, the pets… because this is your time to head up on ElCap with old Captain Tom!