ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/2/17

By Tom Evans

Yo.. this report will cover climbs up to the 27^th of Sept 2017.  The weather has been solid for some time now but the Big Three are not crowded at all…so this is your time to get going on the route you have always wanted to do.  The news media coverage of the big rockfalls has pretty much gone away now and things are sort of back to normal for everyone but the people involved, of course. 

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

1)  Chris Trull and Jon Rigg have been on Disorderly Conduct for several days now and are in cruise mode.  Here they are hauling kit to ElCap Tower, after climbing the right side.  Their route really starts off the top of Boot Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Disorderly Conduct has only had two previous ascents, the last being in the 90’s.  Here Jon is using a mandatory stick (it’s on the topo!) to hook a flake.  Still… you know… yep… Jon got it…

STICK OF THE DAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Over on Sunkist, Neil Chelton and Maria Parkes, had a nice climb up this excellent but not often done classic.  Here Neil belays from a bivy on the approach to the climb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Maria leading high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Here Neil is back-cleaning higher on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Two teams are seen in close company on the Shield and Albatross.  Roger Putnam and Brandon Adams got the record on the Albatross, at 9 hours and some change while the Shield team did a standard wall style ascent.  Roger is seen here standing on the right end of the Canoe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Ryan Sheridan is seen leading some difficult free climbing on some choss, low on the Waterfall Route, as Pete and Patrick tended the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Pete is seen here leading the first of the battered pitches that survived the 2010 rockfall.  This pitch was obliterated by the fall on the 28 of Sept 2017. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Here Ryan is leading on more difficult free climbing as he was to do for the rest of the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Higher on the route I got a shot Patrick jugging up to the top of a pitch that had been fixed the previous day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  The ElCap meadow saw another rescue staged a couple of days after the rockfall rescue.  A climber fell on Brail Book and was snatched off by chopper 551 flown by Chris Cremer.  Aaron Smith and Phil Johnson got the call to ride the rope to the scene.  It all went without a hitch and in a couple of hours the injured man was down and getting medical attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Jack Hoeflich, Incident Commander on the Brail Book rescue is seen here going over the event with the team after completion of the rescue.  Aaron and Phil are the ones with the black chest harnesses on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  We had a well-done climb of the Shortest Straw by Caleb and partner Barret.  Here they are low on the route past the Journey thru the Brain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Higher on the Straw they came close to a Zodiac team in the White Circle.  Barret is seen here leading into the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  Next day Caleb belayed Barret as he climbed the Saw Blade Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  The Great White Circle, with teams seen on the Straw and Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  The meadow crew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  Out west … Stevie G is solo on Aquarian.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19)  The Nose is still the most popular route on the rock.  Here is a shot of paranoia loops blowing in the wind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The traffic is back to the normal pattern, but construction is keeping things jammed up most days.  NPS Traffic has done an excellent job of keeping things moving in the afternoons when people are leaving the valley.  But it still takes a long time just to get around.  The construction looks to be many months away from completion so factor that into your plans.

So that’s the way it is, on this the 2^nd day of October, 2017.

Capt. Tom