ElCap Report 5/23/10

ElCap Report 5/23/10

By Tom Evans

Yo… well the rains came yesterday evening but not the pounding kind, just short showers, and were gone by 9pm. Today it was nice until around 1pm when a snow squall blew in hard from the West, accompanied by some thunder and lightning to spice things up a bit!! Now here’s the deal … these days are very similar to the pattern we saw last Spring. A few minutes of showers some time during the day, then partly cloudy for the rest of the time. This seems like bad weather to the Café Rats but for Wall Rats it is just fine if you pick your routes accordingly. The Nose and West side routes are not the best for these mixed days, but the stuff from the Trip to Zodiac are ideal. Forget about Lurking Fear!! Don’t just sit around lamenting the passing of your vacation time, get out there with your Gortex and deluxe ledges and get on a route!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some climbers are heading to the cliff in spite of weather forecasts!

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

Zodiac: I hear Meg, a woman from Arizona, is the person fixed to the start of the 4th pitch. She didn’t show up today but a team of two Spanish climbers did. They are Santiago and Marco and were brightly dressed in yellow and red and thus drew my attention!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spanish team fixing on the 2nd of Zodiac.

ZM: The two Swiss, Lars and Martin, who have been on the route a few days, climbed to the right facing corner a few pitches from the top during a strong snow squall this afternoon but the angle of the rock is such that they stayed dry. Perhaps you can take the hint?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Long reach for that hook on ZM.

Lower down, a new team, the Germans Marc and Markus, appeared with kit, and were on the second pitch by the time I departed this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ElCap salute on ZM’s first pitch.

Genesis: EE and Kate finished the last of the pitches on this interesting looking route this afternoon and are now on the Wall of the Early Morning Light finish. Very cool looking features on this section of the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EE leading the last of the Genesis pitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate cleaning the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate setting the belay, and hauling some bags on the pitch below the Dawn Roof after leading the pitch in short order.

Nose: The Jim and Karla nighted at camp 5 last night and stayed in their ledge until late in the morning. They seem to be having a relaxed ascent. They could climb off today but may just stay at Camp 6 or a bit higher. They have continued to be lucky with the weather.

In other news: The Sacherer event last night was thinly attended but the quality of the attendees was high. A good time was had by the mostly fossilized crowd. The weather has been cold the last few days and as a result the Bridge has been mostly deserted. The ElCap Shuttle is running now but the Tourons are quick to get off and right back on.

That is about all I have for you today.

So that’s the way it is for this the 23rd day of May 2010.

Later, Ansel Evans

 

 

 

fixed lines to heart? dolt?

anyone know if there are fixed lines to either heart ledge? how about to the start of the stovelegs? (last year there were lines there).

Genesis

Thanks Tom,
Genesis pictures are awesome!
Say hello to all on the bridge...
Regan

left side of Dawn Wall roof?

Great photos, especially of Genesis into Dawn Wall.
Does anyone know if anything goes out the left side
of that Dawn Wall roof? Could join up with Tribal
or maybe independent finish. Looks cool...

Nice pics

Thanks for all you do Tom.