ElCap Report 5/20/10

ElCap Report 5/20/10

By Tom Evans

Yo… Killer day here in the Ditch. Unfortunately for me, fortunately for all climbers in the Valley, YOSAR held a high angle helicopter rescue practice, in the ECM, for most of the day and the noise was deafening. However it was reassuring to know that the team was hitting the mark all day long and when the shit comes down they will be ready, as they always are. Beautiful day here with some more to come in the next few. Not so sure 5 days out or more … but you have to dance while the band is playing and it is sure playing these days.

So put down that pipe, swill the dregs of that warm Cobra and come with me to the prime time big wall climbing of the world.

Today’s ElCap Report is on belay… written just for you…unique in all the world.

Zodiac: The bad news is that Bob’s team didn’t send out a leader all morning and by early afternoon they were on the BAIL OF THE DAY. We at the Bridge were crushed as we were pulling for that team to make it. They came down from the start of the 6th pitch.

Zenyatta Mondatta: This team of two Swiss, Lars and Martin, climbed to the top of 4 by late afternoon and looked up to the task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leading ZM’s Third.

Trip: The gang of 4 moved right up the route after getting to the top of 7 yesterday. They are a load but are moving along like a party of two and were on the tenth by the time I left today.

Genesis: EE and Kate had two more done and were out on the next pitch

by the time I left.

Tribal: The lads are hitting it up there and just may be climbing off as I type these lines. They might stop on the great ledge two from the top just for the fun of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leading toward the Rurp pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing the Rurp pitch.

Nose: What to write without taking two pages… NIAD’s all over the place.  The down under crowd was representing on the route with two of the NIAD parties. Helen Sinclair and brother Ewan from NZ were looking good and were at the corner of the Great Roof by 4pm and will get their sub 24 hour ascent. Zack, from Australia, teamed up with Josh, an American, and if they were who I think they were then they were setting a fast pace out in the lead of the pack. A couple of wall style teams lead by Jim and Karla from San Francisco moved along well enough. Someone got schooled on the King Swing but finally hit the mark with a little help from a climber on Eagle Ledge. A team with great colors came across the Jardine behind the rest of the field but were getting it done. Alex and Uli were back at it today but didn’t seem to make much better time than yesterday although I didn’t get to speak with the lads this afternoon, so I don’t really know. They of course, blew by everybody and were off by around noon. The route above Texas was jammed for several hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helen Sinclair short fixed above Dolt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Traffic jam around Eagle Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing past the Tan Band above the Boot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting in line at the Great Roof late in the day

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Climbing the Pitch into Camp 5.

3D: I did see a party of three climbing above Mammoth and eventually make the traverse toward the Nose late in the day. They could be a Muir team but lack the baggage I would guess.

Salathe: Stefan Brunner and his girlfriend climbed to ElCap Spire today. I guess their friend was not in the team after all, as I only saw the two of them.  Perhaps he is in the team of two who were right behind them.  Another team, perhaps the one from Maine, was a couple of pitches down but made the Alcove as I departed.

In other news: The Bridge was a noisy, windy place for most of the day but we enjoyed the good company and the view of good routes being climbed on the Captain. My posse made it back from Jail House rock and are scattered about working or projecting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dutch buddies Niek and Gerka enjoying a brew and the view from the bridge late in the afternoon.

So that’s the way it is for this the 20th day of May 2010.

Later, Ansel

 

Josh and Zach

We started at 5am and topped out at 6:20 for 13:20 on our first NIAD. Zach had never done the route before, but we styled it anyhow and made it down to camp as the light was fading. A dream come true.

Alex Honnold

Great web-site.Just found it while tracking down Alex Honnold's latest feat!!!(Jesus the guy is unbelievable) Will be watching from now on.

block on the Nose

Yo.. that block has been there forever.  I belayed under it when I did the Nose in 1971..  it is wedged in there by fate only.

NIce one Tom- thanks, Pate

NIce one Tom- thanks, Pate

Prod Sez

Kick azzzzz!!!!11111

He's the one in blue!

Thats the Australian Zac in the blue shirt leading off the short fixed anchor to the dude in red. I'd recognize that fat arm and skinny leg anywhere! Nice work!

Than kew

That big block below the climber in the tan band above Boot flake looks pretty unstable. That monster is on the standard Nose route? I don't remember it from when I did it in '87. Now I'm going to have to go though your old reports to look for a more wide screen view of that thing.

Thanks!

Those guys on TR are really

Those guys on TR are really pumping it out! You're going to see the slow motion version when I get up there!

Mark