ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/22/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… Absolutely perfect today here in the Valley. Even the air cooperated and one might have thought it was a fall day! There is good action on the Captain these days with the King in increasing demand, but protected by those who don’t pay their dues and bail. Hope you can get out to the Valley soon and enjoy some beautiful days here.

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

Zodiac: The team that fixed a couple of days ago is on the route now. I noticed them late in the morning so I missed a couple of pitches. They climbed into the White Circle this afternoon and were finishing the pitch to the Nipple when I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

1)  Nice afternoon on Zodiac.

　

North American Wall: The higher team, Dutch I am told, climbed over the famous Roof pitch and were headed to the Cyclops Eye when I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

2)  Cleaning the Roof Pitch on the NA Wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

3)  Leading the pitch to the Cyclops Eye early in the afternoon.

　

Lower down Stuart and Niek passed the traverse from Big Sur and were in the Black Dihedral when I left the scene.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

4)  Stuart Paul leading to the Black Dihedral, NA Wall.

　

　

Mescalito: Bud and Zack, from YOSAR, continue to move smartly up the route. They climbed to the Bismarck Ledge early in the afternoon and I have a hunch, will stay the night there, after fixing the feature itself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

5)  Cleaning and hauling on one of ElCap’s best climbs.

 

 

New Dawn to Tribal:  I was not able to see Mike and Gabe today as they were too low.

　

Nose: The team of two, from yesterday’s report, climbed past the Great Roof while still in shade and were headed above Camp 5 when I left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

6)  Climbing the Great Roof in the cool shade of the morning.

　

The lower team of two from yesterday, climbed past the King Swing and were headed to Camp 4 later in the day. You recall the Drab Team from a few days ago, about whom I pitched a fit due to their clothing? Well... this team out did even them in their total lack of style. Check this shot out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

7)  My worst photographic nightmare on the King Swing!

　

Lower down yet, the well dressed team of Woody and Darren climbed rapidly up the Legs to Dolt and will most likely press on to ECT by nightfall. Take notice please!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

8)  What well dressed climbers wear to Dolt Tower!

　

Muir: Well I was under the impression that Ryan and Roger were going to do some geologic investigations while on this route… but they climbed so rapidly they couldn’t have done much!! They climbed off in the afternoon after putting in 7 pitches today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Start of the final dihedral on the Muir wall... notice the famous "King Kong Chimney to the right, which dominates the shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

10)  Lowering out kit, high on the Muir Wall.

　

Salathe/Freerider: Les and Drew climbed off the Block this morning and are planning on reaching Long Ledge tonight. Good luck boys! They had not reached the start of the Roof pitch by 2:30 when I left. They are doing the climb to raise funds for a worthy cause and have gotten excellent response for their efforts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

11)  Les leading to Suis le toit ledge this morning.

　

Higher up, the scrappy, James Lucas continues to put in the practice work necessary to make a free ascent of ElCap. Tenacity, James, tenacity it will pay off!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

 

 

12)  Big Fall James, working those cracks!!!

　

In other news: Quiet at the Bridge today. The exception was when a group of about 15, elderly, German Alpine club members, from Munich, showed up. They were thrilled to be here in the Valley and were psyched to see the climbers up close. We had a nice chat for some time and I ponyed up some free posters for their club’s walls. It was fun!!

Later Hondo and an old buddy of mine, Scott Lennox, hung out for a while and we had a good time talking with some Tourons who asked about that climber who was on 60 minutes, not realizing they were talking to him! I tried to bluff them by saying that that guy was crazy and not to be believed. The game was up when one of them realized who they were talking to!! We all had a good laugh!

Alex, you recall from yesterday’s report, did the West Face with Kate Rutherford. I guess he liked it because he went and  FREE soloed it this morning! The crux was the 8 mile hike out to the highway!!

So that’s the way it is for this Tuesday, the 22^nd day of May, 2012.

Off to dinner…

TME