ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/8/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… It was really nice climbing weather today… right up until 4pm when a 10 minute, tropical downpour, drenched everything in its path.  The teams on the SE Face hardly took notice but the Nose must have been pretty wet.  However, it was soon enough gone.  Still, the weather just doesn’t want it to be June and we will just have to keep dealing with it.  Zillions of Tourons continue to learn, the “real deal,” about climbing, here at the bridge, so much so that there seems to be little room for the climbers to hang out!!  But it is all good and everyone is enjoying the action on the hill.
Today’s report is brought to you by Bob and Ryan, heroes from last year, who had their entire stash of Gatoraid consumed by bears at the base of the Cap.  They had put it up on a ledge high off the ground but the bears living at the Cap can climb 5.8, so they had no problem finding it… take a lesson here boys…. The bear is waiting and able to get to your stuff, so you have to put it at the end of an A-3 section, as they haven’t learned aid yet!
Today’s ElCap Report…. Written just for you… right now…

Zodiac:  The geriatric Korean team was fixing on the first two today and plan to blast in the morning.  Their ages are 67, 65, and the youngster is a spry 62!
The Major Phil Packer team pushed far into the night last night and ended up atop the 7th pitch, were I spotted them at 9:30 this morning.  Today was a different story as they hit the center of the route where the seriously steep and strenuous climbing starts.  They had only done two pitches today by the time I left at 4pm and the Major had climbed one of them into the White Circle.  Now the logistical difficulty will increase considerably and the going will be slow.  But the lads are ready for it and, with protection from the weather by the overhanging rock above, should be able to keep pretty close to the original plan.

Major Packer lowering out from the bivy and heading into the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major Packer hanging free in space heading higher on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortest Straw:  The 3 man Korean team is moving quickly up the route now and I expect they will make Peanut Ledge and enjoy its comforts tonight. 

Korean team high on the Straw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lost in America:  The Korean team on this route continue to climb well.  They are on the most difficult of the Team ascents and are moving along accordingly. 
Korean team climbing on LA late in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangerine Trip:  The Korean team of 4 on this route made the first bolt ladder pitch just as the downpour hit.  They are using the short fixing three man system with great effect and their 4th man tends the bags until the two belayers are ready to haul.  Their lead climber climbs confidently and rapidly.  Plus they know what to wear!  They will be off tomorrow…
Koreans looking for the bolt ladders. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two man team that started behind everyone, somehow managed to pass Pete’s encampment at the start of the  8th pitch… amazing!!  They did it by utilizing bold climbing techniques.  They climbed more than two pitches a day!  I last saw them headed up the corners in the center of the route.
Meanwhile, Leo and Pete went a pitch higher and were hauling freight as I left.  Pete did some nice free climbing past the traverse and up to the belay at the start of 9.
Passing the Encampment, on Tangerine Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose:  Two NIAD teams showed up today, with the top one, Todd and Scott, setting a blistering pace.  They were above the Glowering spot by 2 pm and pressing on strongly.  Should be down by now.
Scott leading while Todd cleans the short fixed Great Roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The other NIAD team got what appeared to be a late start and will have a long climb out in the darkness.
The two man team that climbed to ECT yesterday did the King Swing and were headed to Camp 4 as I left.  Bivy at 5 tonight.
Lower down a two person team dragged up the Legs all the time I was there and were still short of DT by the time I left.  They are sporting bags and a ledge so will be ok.  They are slow and if they lack tenacity just might not push through the speed barrier.  Stay with it… change the plan… make it happen!

The Shield:  Bob and Ryan are off to a slow start, as mentioned above.  But they came back by the bridge after a store run to replenish their “bear food” and get on the route via the FB start.  The freezing, thin air, high up on the headwall awaits you boys… prepare for the cold lads!!

Blast from the Past:
Tom Evans and Bob Williams, at the start of the North Face of Quarter Dome in May of 1969.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The action is heating up on the Nose and I hear several parties are going for routes on the SW Face of the Captain.  I haven’t seen the Muir Wall team for a couple of days and imaging that they are staging for the start of the upper section after having done the first 10 a few days ago… will it rain on them?  Probably so.  Routes on the upper East side are all the rage at the moment and more teams are headed that way. 
Heroes from recent ascents of Mescalito and Zodiac showed at the bridge to revel in the glory for a while and soon retreated to the meadow to do the ElCap Lieback. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The big question around the table in the café is “will the weather get nice for a while or will it just turn into searing heat a day after it stops raining"?  Stay tuned…
So that’s the way it is for this the 8th day of June 2009.
Later Tom