ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/29/2022

By Tom Evans

Yo… West winds have carried a new weather pattern our way, surely a harbinger of doom for the Fall climbing season.  Some of the crew have all ready departed for the warmer environs of the Creek and JT. Rain and snow are on the way by mid-week and I too will be beating a retreat, on Monday morning early, but for home instead of desert crags.  Lot of top-outs these days as the season closes out. The miserable scammer pukes, finished their hoax-climb after skipping the first 10 pitches in favor of the fixed lines to heart ledge.  All are safe. The SF Chronical is publishing an article soon, refuting this blatant publicity stunt… check it out on line and possibly in print.

 

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

1)  A team of 3, sorta local climbers, are on the upper Muir at the moment I hear they are Brandon, Alexa and Who.  Here seen at the start of the upper part from Gray Ledges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  They are seen here hauling kit higher on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  A day behind them is a team of two on the Muir.  Here they are hauling kit… big walls man… lots of hauling!  This team caught the team of three and all are moving out together it appears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Over on Salathe/Freerider, the aspirants are now on their last shot at sending before the season closes down.  This climber is headed to Golden Gate I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  A couple of times this season I have seen Alex Honnold climbing around on the Salathe as he is looking for a free ascent.  He was within a few feet of it this spring when he whipped off the top of the headwall. Here he is on the difficult pitch above the Ear which he has seems to have mastered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  There is a late season rush on the Nose now too.  At the moment it is packed… good luck getting through the mobs.  This team is cruising, above the fray, on the Pancake flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Those who wait, also serve.  Rachel Jacobs belays at the Pillar of Despair while Nick Martinez leads higher above, on Lurking Fear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Stylish moves on the pitch into Camp 5 on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Thin crack aid climbing on the pitch to the Glowering Spot, Nose route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  The belayer is looking for breakfast while the leader climbs the Great Roof!  BITD we didn’t have belay devices that automatically lock the rope during a fall, so we had to be more attentive and couldn’t do this kind of thing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Zodiac is back in the action with this team hauling to the top of the third.  They were spotted camped at the top of 5 all day today.  Is there a bail in their future?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  One of the “Dark team” is seen here on the top of Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Almost home… a team of three topping out on the Nose yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  BITD, maybe 2008 or so… The Bridge before the addition of the bus stop that ruined that hallowed ground for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  BITD, a couple of young lads, being interviewed by the Legendary Korean climber, Ki Lee at the Bridge, good times.....so long ago. Ki's kid was not impressed and soon fell asheep!

 

 

In other news:  Not much left to say for this season… the herd will be heading east soon… much like a herd of wildebeest, nervously, waiting for some stimulus to jolt them into bolting in mass…The jolt will come and there will be a rush from parking lots all over the park.  Strange season this one… the trees have not yet turned color in any amount, something I have never seen so late in October.  Usually, by now, the leaves are brown and  blowing and rustling along the ground in a cold west wind.  We also had a month of very hot temperatures, which pretty much kept the cliffs barely inhabited.  I have gotten some nice shots this season and it is always a pleasure to re-connect with friends from days gone by, to continue the dream.

So that’s the way it is, on this Saturday, the 29^th day of October, 2022.

Capt. Tom… just for you.