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ElCap Report 6 /1/11

Submitted by Tom Evans on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 00:13

ElCap Report 6/1/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Aaaahhhhhhhh  the weather, the weather, the weather!!  Harsh conditions on the Captain today with wind, clouds, and rain/hail.  The Bridge was cold and dank today.  No climbers were in evidence… but there was a small crop of Tourons who were quite nice and very interested in what was going on.  I stayed until the bitter end as the sky opened up big, around 2pm.  Not much to report but here is what I have….
 

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

Zodiac:  OMG Zodiac has become The route on ElCap.  I can’t keep track of who is who up there anymore.  I got a note this morning from two Norwegians who went up and fixed more pitches, before retiring in the afternoon.  There were a couple of Korean climbers fixing past the first pitch.  Riley, who fixed a couple yesterday, had his partner bail and is looking for another.
Tomorrow Burt and Corbyn are scheduled to start their so called push for the top…. One wonders how a “push” can start on the 7th pitch!!  So this is a “fixed push” I suppose.  There seem to be a few “unknown” climbers wandering around on the route too…

 

Norwegian climber on the move upward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Norwegians at the start of the 5th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Korean climber fixing the third pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ZM:  I noticed John take a little whipper yesterday and Mark finishing the lead.  This morning they were seen bailing but it had nothing to do with the fall the day before.
So………………
BAIL OF THE DAY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost World:  I didn’t get out west but an angle through the trees allowed me to get a shot of Camp Piton at the top of the 2nd pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mystery Climb of the Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Special note:  Keith Lober has retired and moved to Utah with his wife.  You have seen him many times on the Report, although some might remember Ranger Lober in regards to his law enforcement work, he is best remembered for the many years he put in as YOSAR operations manager.  Not only did he direct operations, but on many occasions he was the person lowered over the side of a huge cliff or hanging from the bottom of a rescue chopper.  He put his life on the line many times to save climbers and others in dangerous situations.  In this regard he will really be missed by all of us who knew him and worked with him.  Thank You Keith Lober for all your contributions, here in Yosemite!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Pretty thin news selection these days.  The season is a mess and climbers are really frustrated… so much so that even a sortie to Jailhouse Rock doesn’t do the trick anymore.  So here we sit and wait and hope for better days.
So that’s the way it is, for this Wednesday, the 1st day of June, 2011...
the 71st anniversary of my, long deceased, parents wedding.  They were wonderful people and I owe everything to them… they will always be remembered, and never forgotten, as long as I live.

Later Tom Evans
 

#1Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 06/03/2011 - 05:55.

Pete is at the top of three

Pete is at the top of three there.

Waterfall Route is the MR.

Zode is worthy, however you meet 'er

cheers,
e

#2Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 06/03/2011 - 01:15.

Line Jumpers

Hey Tom,

When you say "Line Jumpers", are you saying people are jumping their place in the queue? Or are they are jugging some other folks' fixed lines to get ahead of the pack? The latter would seem really, really, weak (probably rationalized by prior ascents of the route, etc.). Although I have seen situations where people have fixed lines (staking their claim), but then still have more carries to do before blasting, while others have gotten more of their kit up there and are ready to go before the first fixers. In fact, I have been in that situation. Fortunately, big wall climbers are a kind of brotherhood and there seems to be a kind of mutual respect for one another.

Chad from CT

#3Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 18:13.

Other routes

There are Austrians fixed to P3 on the New Dawn, planning to go to Tribal Rite (I give them less than 50% chance of topping out on that plan). Also some fixing action yesterday on Mescalito and some rangers seen training on the PO Wall in the groppel.

#4Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 06:04.

The Hard Men are climbing

The Hard Men are climbing through the snow and the hale. In 448 nights on El Cap, this is without doubt the coldest wettest and nastiest weather ever.
Pass the Pitons Pete, never bails. Pete and David Blattel will send. SHut up and climb.
This is David Blattel's first big wall climb. David was with the 1st group to safely jump of El Cap in 1978 the 11th person to ever jump from El Cap.

#5Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 11:52.

Agree with you on this...

Hopefully, two good weather days on Thurs and Fri. Godspeed, Pete and Dave.

#6Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 01:55.

Best Shot!!

Mystery Climb of the Day!

Again.. I'm drawn to the Mystery shot...

Great stuff, even when there is not much to report.

Cheers,
Jingy

#7Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 00:50.

A toast to your Parents

Long may their memory live with you. Hope John is Ok Well Pete has only 18 more pitches to go. Thanks for the update

Russ

#8Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/02/2011 - 01:13.

i put money on

i put money on pete rapping when he joins lurking fear