ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/16/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Another beautiful day here… this is what Fall is supposed to be like here in Yosemite.  Lots of action up on the Captain.  A team of three is on the wall going for a new speed record as I type these lines.  Lots of women in the teams on Golden Gate.  Sunday night so let me get right to the day in review for you…

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

ZM:  Regan is getting the job done on this route which I think will be hard enough to suit him.  He felt Mescalito was a little to easy technically and was looking for something harder…so I sent him over to ZM.  He climbed out of the Circle late in the day.

1)  Regan climbing to the long, skinny flake, that exits the Circle, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NA Wall:  The Lithuanian couple, Saule and Gedas, climbed the last pitch first thing this morning and were gone by 10am.
Lower down, the Mike’s climbed out of the Cyclops Eye bivy this morning and were at the reverse traverse this afternoon.
2)  Climbing the pitch after the traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSPO:  Mark and Max are pretty much done with the route with the exception of the exit pitches, which should go pretty easily tomorrow morning.  They put on a great show for being almost fossils!  A great team reunited. Who would have thought?!

Mescalito:  I think Christian and Mike are off the route by now as they were on the Bow, three from the top, late in the morning.  Nice climbing men!

Reticent:  I did see Neil and Callum climb to the start of the next to the last pitch this afternoon, the crux of the route.  I left a little early today so didn’t watch them on that pitch.  But I feel confident they did ok as the other pitches fell behind them with speed and confidence.  
3)  Callum leading up to the good ledge at the base of the crux pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Reticent and New Dawn Teams high on the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Dawn:  Tommy and Jenn climbed over the impressive series of roofs at the Harding Roof area.  It looked so cool up there it made an old man have thoughts he shouldn’t.  They will be staying their last night on the ledge two from the top I expect.
5)  Tommy and Jenn climbing over the series of roofs mentioned above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tribal Rite:  The team of Kevin Prince, Skiy Detray, and Dave Allfrey have saddled up to take a shot at the speed record on this excellent and recently more popular route.  They left this morning around 6am, climbed rapidly to the Boot, via the Nose, and were into the 3rd pitch of the route as I departed.  It will be a long night for this highly experienced team, none of whom have done the route before.  The previous record of 23:30 was set back in the 90’s and the guys are hoping that modern gear and speed experience will win them the prize!
6)  Skiy leading off the Boot Flake around 11am this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Skiy crossing the famous Tan Band that cuts across the face at mid height.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Already on the route climbing the Boot when the above mentioned climbers reached it, were two climbers who I think are Augustino and Carlos who didn’t know it, but were at the right spot, on the right day, at the right time, to get in a Moon Shot!
8)  The Moon, the Captain, the Boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up the Nose the team of two and the team of two who did the 3D instead of the Shield were leaving Camp 5 as I arrived today.  The 3D guys must have hated all the baggage they had with them but felt the Shield was too crowded, especially with Piton Pete ahead of them.
9)  Leaving Camp 5 on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down Andrew (the scrappy South African) and Alex ( the even scrappier German woman) were spotted in the Stovelegs this morning on a mission to push the free climbing to their limit, which just might be a bit lower than they expect!  They were hauling to Dolt when I left.

Even lower was the solo, Dan Janus, who made the pendulum into the Stovelegs this morning.  He seems determined, but I am not sure has the speed to overcome his food and water supplies.

Shield:  Pete and Ian are most likely on Chickenhead tonight as they have made raped progress up the Headwall.  Hell, Pete might just have to get a campsite this trip!

Golden Gate/El Corazon:  The climbing world has converged on this not often done route.  I counted 5 or 6 parties within a few pitches of the Tower to the People!  Suddenly it is the most popular route on ElCap and by a large margin!  Several women are in the teams and add a touch of class and proper dress to the often grubby, smelly, and dirty men, whose feet alone can generate enough noxious fumes to kill a full grown Rhino at 200 yards!
10)  Golden Gate, the new King!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  A couple of teams were chugging along up the Salathe with two in the vicinity of the Block and another topping out from Long Ledge this morning.
11)  Jugging the line to the Block, Salathe Wall Route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  If you ever wanted to climb ElCap this just might be the perfect moment to saddle up your pony and ride.  The weather is spectacular and the trees are turning rapidly now.  I did stop by the Sugar Maple again this afternoon to get a few more shots and just hang around looking.
The Bridge was quite nice with several friends of the Tribal guys hanging around to watch the race.
12)  Leaves on the Tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s the way it is, for this Sunday, the 16th day of October, 2011.
Hope you are somewhere where the Fall colors are rich and the day fine.
Later, Tom