ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/19/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… So it continues… perfect weather for early September but not late October!  ElCap can hold a lot more climbers, that’s for sure.  Looks like maybe next week sometime there is a slight chance for showers and then more of the same.  Tommy and Jonathan were climbing on Mikey’s new route, on Middle today, instead of working on the project on EC.  The right side seems to be getting more traffic now as the left side is drying up a bit.

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

Zodiac:  I did see a climber do the direct start this morning and afternoon.  Nice to see the route getting some attention.

 

Shortest Straw:  Matt Lambert climbed out of the Circle this afternoon.  He is doing 2 a day and has texted that the heat is really cooking him up there.

1)  Matt checking his set up as he climbs the Sawblade Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the team of Dave Allfrey, Skiy Detray, and Cheyne Lempe, set out early to do a push on the route.  They are hoping to break the 18 hour record and slide in around 15 hours.  They made good progress all day but need to kick into a higher gear, later in the climb.  Young Gun, Cheyne, has the bell lap, so it will fall on him to make the charge, long after darkness and fatigue have set in.

Update... the guys killed it and threw down a 12:20 knocking hours off the record time.  Cheyne said it was a great time!

2)  Dave wheels off while Cheyne and Skiy dig for some lunch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Dave pounding some iron in the White Circle this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZM:  Alex and Ryan should be off later this evening.  They made steady progress in spite of the heat.

4)  Alex, leading some tricky aid, high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Son:  Marek continues to move upward at his relentless pace.  He must be feeling the heat and I hope he has started rationing water, so this climb will not end up like Mescalito did a while back when he was days from the top with zero water.

5)  Marek, finishing setting up the belay, at the “Equator”.  The next pitch goes straight right and then up and left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pacific Ocean Wall:  DGriff lead to the Continental Shelf this afternoon as I departed. 

6)  Dave, leading the strange looking feature, capped by the Continental Shelf.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  Tommy and Kevin made the Bismarck Ledge late yesterday and spent today ledged up.  By 3pm  I hadn’t see them climb at all.

7)  Rest day on one of EC’s finest ledges… The Bismarck Ledge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  New Dawn:  Lincoln and Brandon stayed under the Harding Roof last night, as predicted.  Today they climbed to the top of the route.  I didn’t see them finish but they were well on their way but the time I left so I’m guessing they got off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Lower down I spotted a solo climber who had evaded the big gun.  He was leading above LLL so I missed him for a couple of days.  Who is this guy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The route is pretty empty right now.  A team did go over the top in mid afternoon.  Lower down a team came up from Dolt and were about to do the KS as I departed.

Sean Leary and Leo Houlding made a NIAD today but the record was in no danger.  Leo hasn’t been on the route in 10 years and looked a little on the rusty side …however, a rusty day for Leo looks like almost anyone else’s career day!!

10)  Leo, taking in the scene, on the Pancake Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Flash… just in …a climber fell from the start of the Stovelegs late this afternoon and broke a heal.  The team self rescued and headed for the clinic.  Some other climbers, including, Oli Warlow and Steve Schneider, went up and brought their kit down for them.  Steve helped carry the injured climber to a car too!  This is an example of the best kind of rescue… self rescue!

11)  Muir:  The crawling Canadians made it to the start of the upper section and  camped out all day.  Seems to be a trend these days!  They have worked hard getting their kit up the low angle rock to this point and I suppose have earned a day off!  Enjoy it men, you probably won’t get another one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe/Freerider.    A team with red shirts… Yes!!!!...climbed from Hollow Flake to the Alcove, while I was shooting.  They looked pretty good on the Monster

12)  Crack, as you can see in the relaxed face to the guy leading the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, later in the day, a mixed team set off from Hollow Flake, and were at the Ear when I left.  Drab dressers these two.

13) This shot is of the man, who, fortunately, was spotted against light rock, finishing the 5.7 chimney above Hollow Flake Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Buttress:  Mr. Gerberding finally got away this afternoon.  He did the Grand Traverse around the corner of the West Buttress and passed beyond my view.  I could go shoot you Stevie… but I didn’t get out west this afternoon!  Enjoy the solitude!  But watch out for the parade of gumbies coming up Lurking Fear!

14)  Steve Gerberding, starting the Grand Traverse this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Tomorrow night is the 50^th anniversary celebration of the Dihedral Wall’s first ascent.  It takes place starting

at 6:30pm at the East Auditorium, located behind the Visitors Center.  Come on out and support this YCA sponsored event.

Pretty quiet at the Bridge today.  Old friends, Gene Mallone and his wife, stopped by to hang with the crew for a while this afternoon.  Mark Hudon left for home after a very successful season.  He climbed Lost in America with Max Jones, then Native Son with, up and coming, Cheyne Lempe, and yesterday did the Leaning Tower with another friend.  Pretty good for an old sawed off dude!

So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the 19^th day of October, 2012.

Later, Capt. Tom