ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/10/15

By Tom Evans

Yo… Excellent but warm weather, seems to have set in.  However, it seems cool enough to keep the teams coming at the Captain.  There is lots of interesting climbing going on these days, with more to come.  Stay tuned to your only source of information directly from the scene.

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

1)  Zodiac:  Ken and Doug are moving rapidly up the route and were well into the White Circle when I left this afternoon.  Here Doug is leading into the White Circle while Ken seeks shelter from the sun by belaying under a sunbrella!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  TOM'S SHOT OF THE DAY!!  The locals, Chris, Tito, and Connor, on the Trip, are moving along and could be off tonight or early tomorrow.   Here an interesting shadow looks like a man going off to work with a tool kit in his hand.. strange what cross lighting will produce! He is the “wacky, waving, inflatable, arm flailing, tube man."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Here the Trip team has arrived at the start of the last bolt ladder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Up on the Sea Neil and Callum are in easier ground and will soon be off. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Lower down on the route, Paul was seen leading the 3^rd while Steve tended the belay.  This strong crew should have smooth sailing on the Sea of Dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Tempest:  Pete and the junk show.  I gotta say that this crew is doing a great job up there.  Pete leads late in the afternoon, when, unfortunately, I am not there to photograph him.  It is not some plan to climb undetected…we know him better than that…but to climb when the sun is off the route so as not to fry up there.  Pete seems to be doing the leading while Jerry and Plaid haul and clean.  It is not a system that will work for many but it is working well for them.  Mongolians!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Here Jerry Greenleaf is on the left, hauling kit, while Plaidman, Scott Peterson, is on the right, cleaning to their high point.  We doubters watch, while gagging down lots of crow!  Looks like a well oiled machine to me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The Nose is relatively empty now.  A couple of new, wall style, teams climbed off Sickle Ledge this morning.  Several NIADS were active on the route today, with two coming down from Eagle Ledge with an injured climber. 

8) This NIAD team was in the front of the line and had clear sailing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Here a wall style team’s leader approaches Camp 6, high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Salathe/Freerider:  This classic has several parties on it but there appears to be no crowding.  Your turn!  This team is at the Alcove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Out west on NNL, Ryan and Ian are seen here a pitch below Thanksgiving Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  There is a persistent fire on the south rim, behind the Cathedral Spires.  Smoke occasionally drifts down into the Valley.  I hear that a controlled burn is soon in the works for the area at the base of Taft Point…so things could get smoky and hot here in the next couple of weeks.

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 10^th of October, 2015.

Later, Tom