ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/20/10
By Tom Evans
Yo… Fabulous day here in the Valley.  Kind of warm on the cliff today but tomorrow may bring a return of the rain.  Strange season, weather wise, for sure.  The Big Trades got all of the attention today.  The lighting was super all day and I took over 300 shots.  Anyway… time is running out on the season so you need to take your last shot at ElCap, if possible.

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

Zodaic:  Gill and Wess lead the charge today as Erik, Richie and Red Man showed up and dogged them all day.  By the time I left, around 4pm the lead team was climbing the long center pitch while Erik and Richie languished in the heat and Red Man, Aaron Trook, lead into the Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aaron finished cleaning to find Erik and Richie passed out from Sloans foot odor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Black sucks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why Red rules!  Aaron leading into the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Late afternoon in the White Circle.

Nose:  The King was pretty crowded in the middle today.  The two teams, Austrians I am told, were attached at the belay all day and were climbing past the Great Roof as I departed.  The NIAD team of Allen and Taylor appeared pretty late in the morning and had yet to catch the two wall style teams.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stylish finish to the King Swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boot jam on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Come on over... plenty of room on Eagle Ledge.

Our Climbing Rangers, Jesse and Jake, rapped in from the top this morning on a cleaning mission.  They stopped at Camp 6 to get some of that mess removed and I last saw them lowering to Camp 5.  They are planning on a 2 day descent of the Nose, cleaning as they go.  Many thanks to these tireless proponents of our sport.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ranger team coming down from the top.

Grape Race to ???:  I got an email from Chip and Max yesterday telling me they were going on this Nose variation.  I forgot all about them until someone saw them traversing to the Jardine corner late in the day… ooops, my bad!  I assume they are going to finish on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grape Race joins the Nose at the Jardine Corner.

Salathe:  The speedy Swiss brothers were at it again today.  They made a daylight ascent of this great classic climb.  I figured it was them as they, unlike most other great climbers, have a quick, choppy style.  They like to set hands and then quickly run up their feet and then set hands again.  It works for them!  Anyway they made a nice ascent of the Reg.  So far this season they have done The West Face, Lurking Fear, Zodiac, The Trip, Lost in America, Mescalito, North America wall, Nose in a day, Salathe Wall.... all in a day or pushes!  I'm impressed!!
Below the mixed team of Aaron and Sarah climbed at a much more leisurely pace as they are a wall style team.  Sarah lead most of the climbing I watched.  They were climbing to the Alcove when I left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Simon and Samuel finishing the Salathe in daylight.

Aquarian:  I did catch a glimpse of Kate and Pete this afternoon.  They were on a big ledge a pitch or so from Thanksgiving Ledge and should be off tomorrow.

In other news:  Not much going on now at the Bridge.  We await the rain, or shine, whichever happens.
So that’s the way it is, on ElCap, for this Wednesday, the 20th day of October, 2010.
Later Tom