ElCap Report 5/29/10

ElCap Report 5/29/10

By Tom Evans

Yo… Wow the weather is great and the rock filling up rapidly. Sorry this is being posted later than usual. Unfortunately, Memorial Day Weekend is here and the traffic is the worst I have ever seen it here in the Valley. Who ever the head traffic engineer is, should be fired immediately, if not sooner. The plan was worse than if they just let cars go where they wanted. It took an hour to get to Curry from the Bridge as they made every car go to Curry, even if you had no need to go there. Thus there was a massive jam there like I have never seen before. So I never did get to the Lodge to do the report and thus am posting it the next morning. Anyway, don’t come here this weekend!! Other than that, there was lots of action on the Captain.

So this is being written from the picnic table at my campsite in North Pines at 10pm.

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

Zodiac: Meg is the only climber, from recent days, left on the route. All the others have bailed. The mixed couple, Joe and Tanya, bailed from the third pitch this morning after making the mistake of staying for the night. The place is a waterfall late in the day, the only place on Zodiac like that. So … don’t bivy there folks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meg climbing above Peanut ledge this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She went the wrong way on the last pitch but had it done by 5pm and is off by now I hope. A good effort under less than ideal circumstances.

 

Lower down Stefan Brunner and friend Gerda climbed to their fixed gear this morning and were on the bolt ladders on the 5th pitch as I departed. Their friend Johnny bailed earlier in the day with a case of the nerves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

Stefan leading the bolt ladder on Zodiacs 5th.

 

ZM: Marc and Markus continue to make slow progress up the wall. They had done just one pitch by the time I left today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

ZM in the early morning.

 

Trip: The two German climbers are moving smartly up this favored trade route. They were on the 11th pitch as I departed today.

Mescalito: Steven, Dave and Eric Climbed to the Stork ledge late in the morning and were a couple of pitches higher as I departed late in the afternoon.

Tribal: Brian Sadowsky climbed a few pitches today and should be spending the night on LLL tonight.

New Dawn: This team of two, Dave and Adam, is smoking up the route. After making LLL last night they climbed up to and across the traverse to the WEML rivet ladders heading to Wino Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Climbing the last section of the right side of ECT.

 

Nose: The Nose is jammed. A NIAD party of Germans climbed to C4 and then bailed as they were unhappy about the water conditions on the route.

Lower down the Jardine was jammed as was the regular route. Bob and Ambrose make it to ECT in the afternoon and looked to be heading higher late in the day. Another team was right behind them. The Stove Legs had several parties in them late in the day and were generally bumper to bumper all day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Waiting in line at the Jardine Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Hauling bags to the top of Texas Flake in early afternoon.

Salathe: I did see a team do the Hollow Flake late in the afternoon.

Pace Maker: Pete and Mark got up late as usual and I did see Pete leading a pitch in the afternoon.

Heart Left: Mason and Brad are up in the slime and growth working on the free variation to the left side of the Heart they started in the Fall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brad and Mason, in the slop.

In other news: Don’t come here now…. don’t come here now…. don’t come here now…. The reports will be delayed this weekend as I can't get to a yfi when I need to. 

We remember Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay on this anniversary of their Mt. Everest first ascent.

So that’s the way it is for this the 29th day of May, 2010.

Later Tom

 

 

Hi Tom, When I left you about

Hi Tom,

When I left you about 11Am at the bridge on saturday, the line at the park gate
(el Portal side, 140) was 1/2 mile. Yep! Never seen this before. So I don't
think the head engineer has anything to do with it. It was maaaaad. The
NPS and DNC employees could not even go through.

I have a question: has anyone dropped a haul bag around May 20-26 and seek to
get the content back? I know of some gear left at Camp 4 Ranger booth and waiting
for an owner's claim. The gear looks like big wall rather than weekend 8 pitch.

Cheers,
Sabine
username supertopo: saa
username yahoo: sairieau

Huge conrats to Meg! A ton of

Huge conrats to Meg!

A ton of learning and a big send.
Really crisp photos in the post storm air.

Cheers,

Doug

What out for 2 kiwis (Doug

What out for 2 kiwis (Doug and Bryce) on the Nose in the coming days. They've fixed to Sickle yesterday now waiting for those crowds to go back to work...

What were the less than ideal

What were the less than ideal conditions on the Zodiac?

Coolness! Right on, Tom.

Coolness! Right on, Tom.
Skully

Great photos of Stefan and

Great photos of Stefan and Gerda!

B0b and Ambrose: SEND!

B0b and Ambrose: SEND! They're stoked to be off the valley floor by now. Best free camping in the valley! We were all getting rained on in camp 4 for a week waiting for this. Nice shots Tom!

Go Stefan goooooo

.Bill

Stefan and Gerda Gread Photos

Stefan and Gerda

Gread Photos from the two Austrian top climpers

Cool Pics Thanks for holding

Cool Pics

Thanks for holding down the Center of the Universe this long weekend Tom

Cheers

Russ

Bob should get the award for

Bob should get the award for best colors of the day!! Go guys go!!!! -girl :)

Tom, that second to last shot

Tom, that second to last shot is an absolute gem. One of your best ever in my opinion. -Pate