ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/07/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… So Sweet here today!!  Climbers are showing up on the routes now that the solid weather is entrenched for the foreseeable future.  The leaves are not poppin yet but get ready for some fine days Autumn days anyway!  The Bridge was as quiet today as it was busy yesterday.  The free shuttle to the bridge is going away on the 12th of this month…so… get ready for that.   This is the quiet time of year with the killer weather, so if it is not in your plans to be here then you screwed the pooch!

Lots to write about so here it comes… direct to you via the world wide web… today’s ElCap Report…written just for you… unique in all the world.

Zodiac:  Mike lead to the third today and moved his stuff up just as Karl and Kevin jugged up with their stuff, to the top of 3.  They were just ahead of the SAR team of Jacob and Montana Neil, who climbed the first two but hadn’t hauled when I left for the west side at 3pm.  It should be interesting to see which of the two man teams is going to be in front.  Karl tweaked his right foot on a short fall at the end of the first pitch yesterday and can’t walk very well, but can aid climb.  Mike is solo and will, of course, let them pass.

The Trip:  Presently the Trip is the second most populated place in the state, a close second behind Los Angeles!  Here is the rundown.
Lambert and Shipman are around the 11th pitch today and going strong.  Unfortunately, for Grover Shipman, he is wearing all black and I have refused to waste a single shot on him… so Lambone is getting all the camera time with his orange shirt and matching helmet…I told those boys how it had to be…the lesson here is … don’t push me son, don’t push me!
Lambert and Shipman on the Trip taken from Fresno.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below them is another team of two, who are at the top of 9 at the moment,  are moving with deliberation thus far.
Below them there is the solo from Poland, Regan, who was at the top of 6 at 4pm and will most likely stay there and fix higher.  He is also moving deliberately.
Below him at the start of three, after doing pitch two today, is the solo, Anna.  I need a word to describe a rate slower than slow.  Well, you know what I mean.  When she rapped back to the start of 2 there were two smiling Korean faces, from the team of 4 who have started on the route, to greet her.
My advice…. don’t go near the route…  not good there… not good at all.

The Nose:  Shipoopie and Benjy made the top this afternoon around 1pm.  Behind them was the team with the yellow bag who did the Jardine yesterday and made a nice two day ascent.
A NIAD team was well on the way up the wall when I arrived.  A nice yellow jacket was a lens attractor for sure.  They were probably off by dark!
 Edge of the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down a couple of teams dragged up the Legs and one made Dolt in the early afternoon and made no move toward ECT.  The other was a team of three who were last seen a pitch below Dolt and sent out a leader who faltered in the wide section and returned to the belay.  Soooo….mmm.. we will see.
Squeeze in the Stovelegs, maybe Leotard Boy should give it a go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dude, we thought the Stovelegs were over here!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t even want to mention what is going on below the Stovelegs… it is an ugly world down there, very ugly… wear a mask, don’t go unarmed!

The Muir:  Team Nicki and Allisyn are hitting it hard on the upper section of this super classic set of corners.  They are in the land of milk and honey now!  Last shot them on the 23rd pitch.  Nice!!
Muir with The Shaft on the Right side of view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shield:  I spied a team of two beneath the roof this afternoon around 3 and a couple of teams below them, on the Muir section, with full wall regalia in tow.  They don’t look like 3Der’s.  So we may have a line on the Shield for the next few days if my guess is right!  Prepare for the big chill lads!

Salathe:  I spotted a solo, dressed in white, at the head of the snarling horde, stampeding up the route, this morning.  Below, stretched a team of at least two at every belay down to Hollow Flake.  Forget about keeping track of who is who in that herd.  Some Freeriders for sure.  Also, a couple of guys have been operating on the Headwall, from a base at Long ledge, for the past couple of days.  It is a mystery up there, a mystery I don’t care to crack open.
Solo climbing to the Alcove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Business, Hollow Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Who is the Solo?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aquarian:  On my afternoon visit, to my western shooting spots, I saw a solo, smartly dressed in an orange shirt and matching helmet a pitch above Timbuktu, moving smartly along.  Who is this man?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lurking Fear has several parties in the first five pitches and is so popular that I fear even writing about it.  I know no details nor would I write them if I did.  You go look if you want to know the deal there.

Name the route and feature:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Tourons seem to have gone home.  With the EC shuttle soon disappearing the bridge should revert back to its climbing roots.
I can’t wait!  There was a SAR training exercise at the ECM this morning with the full complement of forces in action.  However, it was cut short when a winch on one of the choppers broke.
So that’s the way it is for this the 7th day of October,2009.
So long
Tom