ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/25/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… Wow!!  Gorgeous day here in the Valley.  Warm sun, cool breeze and an almost empty Captain!  The crowds vanished yesterday so today was vacant.  No traffic jams, no Tourons, and no climbers either! 
1)  Today’s report is brought to you by Mason and Clay who were down from sending Golden Gate over the past several days.  Nice send lads.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today’s ECR smack in your face, right now..

Zodiac:  The Palo Alto boys, Chris and Justin, topped out this afternoon after putting on a three day clinic on this usually popular route. 
2)  Topping out on Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the team of two from yesterday’s fixing was up and at them today.  One nice yellow shirt and one turd brown shirt are showing off this team of two.  They climbed from the top of three to the ledge at the start of the White Circle today making good time.
3)  No, No, don’t put that finger through the bolt hanger Dude!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NA Wall:  A team of two, Brian and John, blasted on this ancient classic, once consider the hardest rock climb in the world, and now relegated to Trade Route status.  Still a class route however.  I saw them climb toward the start of the 5.8 chimney but the trees have blocked much of the view thus far.

New Dawn:  Pete and Scott came down today after Scott got a hernia hauling their 10,000 pounds of kit on the 2d pitch.  No surprise there!!  See a doctor Scott… that’s an order!!  Pete is looking for a partner…. Any takers?

New Dawn to Tribal Rite:  Ian and Pierre are on the route and well on their way to Lay Lady ledge for the night.  This team has much experience and should have a good time on this now very popular, and deservedly so, route.
4)  Ian leading a couple of pitches below Lay Lady in full afternoon shade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Not many left on the Nose today.  I saw a team climb past the GR and toward C5 late in the afternoon.  Below the three person team of French climbers did the KS and are headed upward.
5)  King Swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below in the very bottom of the Stove legs a team of two women and another of two men have gotten stuck and were not moving for HOURS.  When I left at 4pm they still had not started moving up the Stoveleg crack.  Looks like a late in the day bail to me.
I did see a couple of guys sitting on Sickle doing nothing for hours.  As usual the lower part of the route is making them pay for logistical errors.
6(  Talking it over on Sickle Ledge  "Yo, Dude, lets bail now before things really get bad!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The scene at the bridge was very mellow today.  Erik Sloan came by and hung out all day, as did Kia and Helen.   Several other climbers happened by to celebrate successful climbs too.  It was a very pleasant day with cool temps and warm sunlight.  Folks you need to get here soon as this weather is just killer and the crowds have gone back to wherever rock they came out from under. 
That’s the way it is …. From the ElCap Bridge on this the 25th day of May 2009.
Later Tom