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ElCap Report 6/04/09

ElCap Report 6/04/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… Cold and windy here in the valley with a huge chance of rain today… but of course, no rain!  The bridge was crowded today with Tourons and climbers alike.  Nose and Salathe are still devoid of any sign of life, while most of the action continues to be on the upper east side of the SE Face.
It was very much like an October day here and everyone is wondering where all the forecast rain went.  Today’s report is brought to you by a refreshing family of German Baptists who came by the bridge and just couldn’t believe what was going on up on the Cap and on a slack line from the bridge to the edge of the river.  Everyone  seemed in great spirits today and we all had a good time.

Today’s ElCap Report.

Zodiac:  Asa (Elsa? Some one knows his name) still owns the front spot of the two solo climbers presently on this route.  He climbed the Nipple pitch today and may hang there tonight or perhaps go one more pitch higher.
1)  He hauled to the start of the Mark of Zorro as I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brian Sadonsky is the lower solo and is moving along just a pitch behind Asa.  He climbed the center pitch of the White Circle and I think will do the Nipple pitch before nightfall.  Both solos seem to be quite comfortable up there and are moving along smoothly.

Virginia:  Pete and Leo moved up the edge of the roof today and are putting on a clinic of how to keep too many bags organized. 
2)  Pete finishing the 4th pitch on Virginia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Trip:  Well the mystery of the 17 hour ascent team of two days ago is solved.  Alex Honnold and his buddy Josh scampered up the route for a good workout.  Alex had nothing much good to say about the Trip but it is certainly not the kind of route he thrives on!
A Korean team of four climbed and hauled three pitches today.  They were sharply dressed and they moved along well.
3)  Climbing past the Black Cat on the Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  The lads are moving right along on the center of this great route.  They had the crux pitch done when I left and I am thinking that they just might stretch the day out so as to make the famous Bismarck Ledge for the bivy.  It was cold on the wall but they seemed to be unphased.
4)  The belay at the end of the Molar Traverse on Mescalito.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Shield:  The two Stephan’s, from Austria, who did Zodiac last week, are over the roof and on the headwall of this classic Westside route.  This was the coldest place on the planet today, outside the polar regions.  They looked really cold and the wind had the ropes stretched straight out to the east and wiggling like a snake.  They were finished with the Groove pitch and going higher when I left.  Bundle up lads!!
5) In the Groove and in the wind on the Shield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blast from the Past:
6)  My 1997 shot of the legendary Jim Bridwell checking out the Captain for one of his last two lines on the Captain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The bridge was awash in Tourons and climbers all day in spite of the fall conditions.  I was busy with the Ask a Climber program all day.  The weather continues to alarm the NOAA experts but threatens no one here in the valley.  Tomorrow is supposed to be bad but so were the last 5 days and we got nothing but good climbing weather, albeit unusually cold.
The big Trades continue to languish in the backwater of weather paranoia.
The Upper East side routes are getting all the attention as insurance, perhaps, against an accurate weather report.  So come on out and roll the dice and maybe you will win or maybe you will lose!
7)  This German Baptist family from Indiana can’t believe what they are seeing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s the way it is for this the 4th day of June 2009.
Later ECP’s