ElCap Report 10/27/18 Last report of the Fall season.

ElCap Report 10/27/18  Last report of the Fall season.

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Great weather continued right to the end of the season.  My season that is, as the climbing season continues well into November or until the weather totally caves in.  We had a lot of action on the Cap this season with the big trades getting fully used, as well as climbs we don’t see done so much.  All in all, it was a good season with no really serious injures in the climbing community.  The two big climbing movies came out in Sept. and have been well attended with very positive reviews.  Seems like climbing movies are becoming more interesting to main stream viewers as well as climbers.  BTW if you have not contacted me about drop boxing your shots to you then you have to wait until Dec as I will be gone until then, starting Nov 4.  Let me know and I will put you on the list.... thanks!

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

1)  The Shield saw several ascents in the good weather.  Here a climber is seen hauling kit, not so bad as the bag never touches the wall for a thousand feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  On Tempest John Bolte and Brandon Adams made a rapid ascent of the route but did have some difficulty getting past the Rubber Band Man pendulum.  John went down to give it a go and initially had problems as the pendulum point has changed.  He went way too low and ended up over by Mescalito. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  The men shouted back and forth for a time and decided that John needed to come back and try again at the regular place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  The name of the pendulum came from the first ascent team having to pull the leader back almost to the belay and letting him go like a rubber band being released.  So, the lads decided to go back to “old school” and give that a go.  Here Brandon is pulling John back… and back.. and back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  At just the right moment Brandon let go of John.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  You could hear the whoop as John flew across the face like a jet off a carrier!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Sure enough, the old school method paid off and John hit the mark and continued on.  Sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Over on the Nose, Nina and Lynn continued working on the crux sections of the route in their attempt to free it.  Here Nina is taking a power rest, alternating hands to rest them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Just when it looked like Nina had it made, she came off with a scream easily heard down here in the meadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Mark Hudon and Skot Richards completed Aurora in a speedy ascent.  Here Mark has climbed across the stain from the Water Spout, now bone dry, onto some thin climbing, to reach the Golden Finger of Fate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  The next morning, I caught Skot as he climbed the nice crack on the face of the GFF.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Several teams made ascents of the highly regarded Zodiac.  The fun begins for this team as they haul kit to the start of the black tower pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Lower on Zodiac we had a real treat… our first of the season and I suppose the last also…yeah… you know..

STICK OF THE DAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  The NA Wall got a lot of attention this season.  As I was departing, I got this last shot of a team on the route hauling kit to the start of the easy climbing to Big Sur ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  When you see a crew camping on Dolt Tower late into the morning you can figure they are going to bail.  They did!  So…

BAIL OF THE DAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  Higher on the Nose, having just finished the King Swing, this leader was not quite sure just how high to go before the traverse to the belay ledge.  So happens, there was a guy there to point out just where to start the traverse.  Love the shirt!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  Brandon is seen here leading the Quinlan Corner high on Tempest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  Bud Miller and Werner Braun are seen here helping with traffic control during a YOSAR operation down at the ElCap Meadow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19)  A view of the men’s restroom in camp 4.  What could possibly go wrong?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20)  ElCap… Most likely I will not see the great rock, the passion of my later years, for another year.  I want to thank all of you who have supported the report over the years and the friendship and good times you have provided.  Take care my friends and think a little deeper when that little voice in your head tries to tell you that things are not what they seem and you need to proceed with caution.  We want you all to come back… back to the meadow and the great rock that has inspired so many of us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s the way it is, on this 27th day of October, 2018.

Capt.Tom… heading to a waiting cruise ship for a month of R and R on the high seas!

Thanks for another great season!

The pictures, stories etc...keep all those of us who can’t be there often inspired. They keep us dreaming which is what all of need from time to time. Great to see you this past fall and I hope to be back next fall. We’ll see??? Have a great time on the cruise. The food is spectacular and there are many choices of drink. One important question -
Do they serve COBRA’S on the ship?

All the best,
Doug