ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/28/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Clear and warm today, just like most of the Fall season has been.  Loving it!!   Seems like most of the teams are climbing off either today or tomorrow.  We are in need of replacement climbers.  Who wants their 15 minutes of fame, on the ElCap Report!?  Thanks for the DVD's Clint!!  I will pay you when I see you again... thanks!

 
I am not going to be writing full length reports any more this season, but will do specials on big events or short ones for the regular routes.  So some days there may be nothing at all.  Also, a lot of climbers, who have gotten shots, have not bothered to donate anything to the site.  Not Good!  Do you think Glen Denny gave any his photos to the people he shot?  No!  Now I admit that I am no Glen Denny, but you are getting quality shots that are unique in all the world!  So you should at least send something…what I do is not easy or cheap for me…so come on man!…help a brother out!  Donations of any size are welcome and put to good use.

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

Zodiac:  The Montana team topped out this afternoon after making a good ascent.
1)  Slab pitch, one short of the top, on Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower Down the British Columbia team climbed the Nipple pitch for most of the time I was there and I assume they will get one more done today.
2)  Passing the Nipple on Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  Matt and Daryl are moving along well on the trip.  They were starting the long, corner pitches, in the middle of the route, as I departed.
3)  Daryl making adjustments to his protection.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Matt starting the 10th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North America Wall:  Jesse McGahey, Ben Doyle, and Harrison Forrester, are on the route now, after hauling and fixing two yesterday.  Reports of some bad bolts on the route gave them an excuse to go up and climb the route!  They are going to do some replacement up there.
5)  Passing the bolt kit up to the leader on the NA Wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PO Wall:  After a day spent basking in the sun on the Continental Shelf yesterday, the Montana Boys bailed this morning.  One of the team cleaned to the end of the 110ft pitch they had fixed two days ago, then stopped and replaced a bolt or maybe two there, before coming down for the bail.  The Bail went smoothly and seemingly without incident.
6)  Rebolting on the PO.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  BAIL OF THE DAY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tempest:  Alik climbed two pitches while I was there today and should be off tomorrow.  
8)  Alik climbing toward a large blank section of rock, passed by many rivets and some hooking, it appeared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  The next pitch, after the blank section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Dawn:  Paul and Tom didn’t make the ledge two from the top last night.  So they had three to do today.  I last saw them around 2pm cleaning the next to the last pitch…
10)  Paul waiting for Tom to finish cleaning so they can top out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The Yellow pack made its way to the summit on the back of Glen early this afternoon.  Meg led the last pitch and they were off by 2.
11)  Topping out on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Lower down, a team of two climbed to the entrance of the Stovelegs late yesterday and bivied just before the pendulum point.  
They lounged around to late into the morning and promptly bailed.  The route is empty at the moment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  Ryan and Trevor climbed off the Spire this morning and were nearing the Block by the time I retired for the day.  Above them several people climbed around and others rapped in with packs.  Don’t know what type of shenanigans are going on over there but it looked like some kind of a pose down.  I later learned it was Cody Sims on his way to a 30 hour Freerider/Half Dome link up.  He partnered with Misch on EC and Mattie on the Dome. 

13)  Something higher than ElCap!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Wonderful day today.  Many of you have commented on the clarity of the shots this season.  I am using the same equipment I used in the Spring.  I would not come in the spring if I had my druthers, but I make the sacrifice just for you!!!  The Fall shots are so much better because the air in the spring is loaded with moisture and pollen and much warmer than in the Fall.  Warm air between me and the Cap shimmers, much like that on a road on a hot day and thus reduces the sharpness of the images.  Plus the sun is much lower in the fall bring more light to the camera without such harsh shadows.  So it is the air in the Fall that is the difference, not the lens or photographer.

Scorched Earth Crew did a 22:28 I hear from face book.

So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the 28th day of October, 2011.
Stay tuned, but don’t expect the moon.
Tom