ElCap Report 10/9/18

ElCap Report 10/9/18

By Tom Evans

Yo… Splendid weather continues after the three days of not so good conditions.  The big routes are getting full attention now.  Today there were 18 parties on the Nose route, although mostly spread out pretty well except for the first 4 pitches which were loaded past capacity.  Other routes are available folks!  Zodiac only has one party, the Trip is empty, Mescalito has just one party and the NA has one new party and another that is about to finish.  So, pick a good route, that is not called the Nose or Salathe/Freerider!  The shots below are from the last few days.

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

1)  On VA to the Trip, Brett Evans finished the route a couple of days ago.  Here he is climbing during the stormy weather as that route is well protected from the weather.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Welcome to Sickle ledge…meet new and pissed off climbers there and you can all bail together!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Erik Eriksson and Paul Gagner are seen here just starting off on Heart Land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Brandon Adams and John Bolte did a lightning fast run up the Nose to the start of the upper Muir and included that excellent route in an 18-hour ascent.  Brandon is in blue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Here Brandon yells down for some gear while John cleans up the excellent nutting pitch..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Over on Salathe/Freerider the belayer is nice and comfortable while his partner digs deep to send the Hollow flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  I spotted this conglomeration belaying in the middle of the Monster pitch on Freerider.  Why there?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  So many people on and around the ElCap Spire and alcove a few days ago.. working on tans I suspect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Things generally look like this on the early pitches of the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  A rose among thorns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  The women’s team of Andrea Carlomagno and Rebecca Church put on a clinic up on the Muir. They climbed efficiently and at a good clip.  Here they are on the wonderful final dihedral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  The women on the last pitch of the Muir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Below the women’s team was a strong team of two men who threatened to catch them but never quite got that done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  A couple of “old timers” showed up a few days ago… they were reticent about their plans, but I spotted them up on the NA.  Here they are on the easy pitches headed to Big Sur ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  The old guys are seen here on the traverse pitches headed to the Black Dihedral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  A King Swing for your pleasure… this guy took off like a rocket and jumped high over his partner at top speed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  This King Swinger ran on the Tan Band, not recommended, and on this third run lunged and missed the magic hold by a few inches!  He then flew back along the swing, regrouped and got it the next time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  Meadow crew taking in the sunny day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Camp 4 has turned into the wild west now that the normal campground staff has been laid off.  There are no parking permits for the new parking lot so it has filled with many cars of non-camping people.  They have self-registration now and many of the sites are way over-loaded with campers.  My site has two huge tents, among the others, that look like Conestoga wagon covers… god knows how many people are inside those things!  Good luck campers!

So that’s the way it is, on this Tuesday, the 9th day of October, 2018.

Capt. Tom … sleeping with ear plugs for sure!  YeeeHaww!!

Fantastic!

Your reports make my day! I miss the days of daily reports but I'll take what I can get!

Donation made!

John

First time reader

Wow, this was a great read Tom. Thank you Sir! I hope you slept well.
Sean

Thanks

for the report and great photos.

I like it

Or you might say: read it and weep,cubicle pukes Hahahaha