ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/18/13

By Tom Evans

 

Yo… another spectacular day here in Yosemite Valley.  Sunny and cool, with clean, clear air, to shoot through.  Lots of action on the few routes being climbed, at the moment.  I heard from Dave Allfrey that he and Alex Honnold were going to pick some “Low hanging fruit” today.  Check it out below! 

Most of the teams on the Cap are nearing the top now, so we need some replacements!  That could be you, my faithful reader…. Where the hell are you?  Sitting home watching sports on the Tube?  Well man up, Puke, and show the world what you got!!  I can’t make you world famous if you aren’t in front of my 600mm Nikon f/4 lens.  Imagine the glory, and climbing groupies, you are letting slip away!

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

Zodiac:  Yep, one of the best routes on the rock is getting some attention after sitting empty for a week.  Joe Shultz fixed another pitch today, in preparation of his solo attempt early next week.

Another climber was seen climbing the first pitch this afternoon.  Who is this dude? 

 

The Nose:  Often billed as the greatest pure rock climb on Earth, the Nose saw several teams and a solo working up its  heights today.

There were two NIAD’s (Nose in a Day) teams, both of which climbed swiftly and competently and were certainly heading down by now.

First out of the blocks were Jes Meiris and her buddy, Buster Jesik.  Like most other teams, wanting to do the Nose in a Day, they each lead blocks of several pitches.  They were two pitches from the top when I left around 3pm. 

1)   Buster using his extra line to lower across a difficult section of the Lynn Hill Traverse, midway through the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Jes is seen here leading the pitch into Camp 5, high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, two local zoomers, Sam Pipper and Climbing Ranger, Ben Doyle, zipped up the lower part of the route and just might have come close to catching,  Buster and Jes by the routes end.

3)  Sam getting crazy on the King Swing, which he stuck without any problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Ben in the middle of the “Changing Corners pitch,” shot from a long way out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up were two teams.  One was the 3D team, the other the team of Phil and Preston, from the past few days.  I saw the 3D top out around 2pm . 

5)  This is a shot of Preston and Phillip at the top of the Changing Corners pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I spotted a solo, Zak Tourville, climbing too, and watched him reach Dolt Tower, about a third of the way up the route.  He was out for a practice jaunt.

Lower down was the team of Lea, Vicky, and Hamik who were featured in yesterday’s Report.  I told them if I put them in the report, then they couldn’t bail!  I last saw them doing the pendulum into the bottom of the Stoveleg crack.

 

Muir Wall Route:  Chris and Cole lead the charge up this excellent route and made the top late this afternoon.  They climbed well.

6)  Here they are nearing the top of the route today.  I still don’t know what route that rope and gear, to their right is on.  Anyone know??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, the other Muir team of Mason Robison and Marc Venery, ran into Madaleine Sorkin, one of the sports strongest and most skilled women.  She

had rappelled from the top and is working on freeing the route.  They caught up with her on the so called ,“Nutting pitch” aka “Stemming Pitch”. 

 

7)  The shot below shows her working on that pitch while they sort some kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Buttress:  Alex Honnold and Dave Allfrey, the new “it” team for speeding up mixed aid and free wall climbs, went for the record time on this old Kor, Beck, Roper route today.  They refer to routes that have soft record times that they feel they can beat, as “low hanging fruit” that they can pick at will!  They looked solid when I watched them climb in late morning.  They were only in the sun for a few minutes when two of these shots were taken.  They crushed the record down to 7 hours 1 minute.

8)  Alex and Dave climbing up to the Grand Traverse in deep, cool shade this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Dave just getting the sun at the belay before the Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Dave cleaning to the start of the Traverse while Alex has some lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The great weather is here and ElCap is ripe for the picking… so come on out and get some wall drug!  Nothing makes a better high than getting high on El Capitan!  The great rock, fantastic views, and fun climbing make for an experience of a lifetime! 

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 18^th day of May, 2013.

Signing off for today,

The Captain of the Captain,

Tom Evans