ElCap Report 6/04/10

ElCap Report 6/04/10

By Tom Evans

Yo… Nice here today with moderate temperatures and a high cloud deck, that made for nice shooting. It looks like good climbing weather for the foreseeable future. In case you didn’t read yesterdays report, we had an accident on Mescalito last evening. One of the three climbers became unattached from the rope, jugging, and fell 100ft onto the slab at the start of the last pitch. It was Dave Goodwin of the Steve, Eric, Dave team. He was able to get back on the line and jug out but soon thereafter reported back and internal pains. Fortunately, Steve is a Nurse and was able to give treatment and talk over the situation with YOSAR on his cell phone. Dave was flown off this morning and I hear from his wife and mother that he is doing well and they will be coming right out to monitor his treatment.

 

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

Zodiac: I did see Ryan and Josh top out this afternoon after nighting on Peanut ledge.

Lower down a team of three Korean climbers did the first pitch and came down, fixing it. At the same time another team climbed the direct start. So some planning will be necessary to avoid the crunch if they both go at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team of three and another of two on Zodiac’s first pitch.

Aurora: Kitty lead the 2nd and 3rd while I was there and moved some bags up. Their packs, at the base, were closely investigated by marauding bears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitty Calhoun on the 3rd of Aurora.  Love the top Kitty, a cute little number that is visible yet versitile, warm but stylish, distinctive, envy producing for sure!  Nice to see a woman with flair and style on EC!

 

Mescalito: There is a new team of three on this great Dawn Wall route. These are Spanish climbers, Pep, Raul, and Joan and are well established on the route. They climbed to Stork ledge and beyond the Sea Gull pitch today. This should be a fast ascent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cleaning the Sea Gull pitch on Mescalito.

 

Tribal: Brian was up late and working on the pitch before the Rurp pitch this afternoon. He seems relaxed and is putting the pitches behind him with apparent ease.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brian, high up in the big features, on the upper Dawn Wall.

 

Tribal: Mark hung out late this morning, his first on Tribal itself. He chatted with passing climbers around the corner on the Nose and after noon started moving up the next pitch on his route. Nice to see hyper Mark relax a bit for a change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lonesome Mark, chatting up a passing climber on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark leading some pretty wild looking rock early on Tribal.

 

Nose: There were several wall style parties that moved to the top today and a couple left down to climb the long dihedral to the upper bivies. Two NIAD’S were going down today with one being two guys, Tim Cline and Jason Wells, who flashed up the Nose and were planning to do another EC route, all within 24 hours. Whoa… good luck on that one guys!  News from the Cafe this morning says they did the Nose again!!!  Wow!!!  That's a lot of Nose!

The other NIAD was Colin and Cheyne, local bridge rats, out for a day on the Captain. They moved along well, going the King Swing way, and were headed into Camp 5 when I left at 3:30pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NIAD team member, Colin, hitting the King Swing on the first go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Yes, I did it!!” Responding to the crowd noise and monkey calls from below, at the end of the King Swing.

 

The French Team are getting it done, if slowly, and were heading up the Great Roof at 3PM. They should be off tomorrow evening.

The 3D team from yesterday could be off late this evening if they push hard.

A solo, Ben, was spotted in the Legs this afternoon, moving right along. I had two of my special agents, Scott Deputy and buddy Todd, make a training run up to the Jardine and return so they could see who this solo guy is. All they got was a first name. So, Ben, whoever you are… have a good save climb and come down to the Bridge and hang out afterward. We don’t see many Nose solo’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solo Ben, in the Stove Legs.

 

Muir: The UK boys Colin and Davis are making short work of this great route. They were headed toward the Ledge for one late in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UK boy doing some thin aiding, high on the Muir.

 

Lower down the solo climber appeared at the traverse, sporting a nice yellow shirt too! I think this guy is Alex White. He is in for some good climbing. I guess he was just starting the upper part of the route, above the Grey Bands, as I left today.

I hear another party is also headed for this suddenly popular route.

Shield: There are two more teams on the approach pitches to this long, exposed, and cold route. Should be some fun shooting coming up for me.

Pace Maker: Pete and Mark are making very good progress on this obscure route. Hell, they might do a sub 10 ascent…. Days, not hours!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Piton Pete, pounding in his namesake somewhere on Pace Maker.

 

Salathe:  I did see a couple of teams top out today.  Also lower down I watched the team of Max, Toine and Meme climb from the hollow flake to the Alcove this afternoon.

 

Never, Never Land: I heard there were a couple of climbers on this route and I finally saw them climbing off Timbuktu this afternoon. Who?

Dihedral: I don’t know…..

Lurking Fear: Lots of traffic headed out that way and few return via the walk of shame, so …. Some sending going on out there for sure.

In other news: Hey… be careful Pukes… there have been far more than the usual number of climbing accidents this season. Most are mental lapses, late in the day. So when you tire, be sure to slow down and communicate with your partners. Before you start that next pitch, casually look at your partners tie in and go over what is happening when the pitch is lead. Don’t assume anything, that is not discussed.

Looks like the Nose speed record attempt is off for now. You can get some sleep now, Hans!

So that’s the way it is on ElCap on this the 4th day of June, 2010.

Bye for now,

Tom

Ok Tom i will be looking your

Ok Tom i will be looking your photoes and reading the report it´s interesting. If you look one spanish´s men with black and long hair do he some photoes for look he in thecap, jejejeje, thanks for all.

Glad to hear that Dave is

Glad to hear that Dave is okay. Could happen to any of us with a minute of not paying attention. Super cool shot of the Brits on the Muir. How is it Tom that your pics get better all the time. Pete on a sub 10 day ascent - OMG - that cannot be true.

: )

Doug

thanks for the update and the

thanks for the update and the pics tom..hi pete,hi mark..

David T and Wagner bivvied on

David T and Wagner bivvied on the Hollow Flake ledge last night and will do some jugging today part way up to the Block where htey planto bivy tonight. Hope you wil get some shots. Wish I could be there with my big lenses. David is the owner of the dog Obi in your June 2 report. Thanks.

Tribal Rite looking

Tribal Rite looking good.

Thank you Tom! Go Mark!

"Come, my friends,'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows..."

-John

Tom, any idea when Mark H.

Tom, any idea when Mark H. may top out, thinking of a hike and carry down, to help a bro out?
 
No way to tell at the moment... I will let you know later in the climb.... Tom

Marcos I am not climbing with

Marcos I am not climbing with anyone, I just shoot photos.  I don't know everyone who climbs Elcap and I don't know what Pedro is climbing.  I try to get shots of all the teams but due to the number of climbers I can not post pictures of each one or even their team every day.  I try to spread the photos around so most people will get to see their loved one a time or two.  Have Pedro come to the ElCap Bridge and check with me and then I will be able to write something about his climbing.
Thanks for reading the report.... Tom

Hi Tom!! I like to make

Hi Tom!!

I like to make you one questions. One of my friend is climbing there, and his wife tell me that is climbing with you, or that you are writing here about his climb. My questions is that i am reading these report and i looking the photoes and i don´t look to he, and his wife tell me that i read the page and translate the sentences to she. My friend´s name is Pedro and is from Spain, is he climbing with you? or is in other page where i must to read?

My name is Marcos and my hope is that you have a nice climb.

Howdy!!!!!!!! WooHoo! Hudon!

Howdy!!!!!!!!
WooHoo! Hudon! That's the guy.
Really nice set o'pics, Tom.

You get a woohoo, too. ready? Here goes.......WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!
Skully

Tom, You continue to lend a

Tom,
You continue to lend a bit of a reality check to what Mark H. is up to......thank you for that. The photos you post of him (and everyone on El Cap) bring a sense of community and continuity to what would otherwise be my pure imagination! (A scary thought!!)
Peggy Thompson-Hudon

Great report Tom, thank you!

Great report Tom, thank you! I can just see Mark H. pulling a cold one out of his 5 gal cooler, must be nice!

Glad Dave is OK! Love the pic

Glad Dave is OK!
Love the pic of Cheyne after hitting the King Swing! PTPP doing a route in
under 10 day...now that is AMAZING! Hudon looks like he has his beer cooler
close by...good man! Great report Tom!

The Princess of the El Cap Bridge :)

Glad Dave is doing well Hudon

Glad Dave is doing well

Hudon has himself a pretty nice perch up there, Great Pics

Russ