ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/11/16

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Today we had another great day for climbing and photography.  It was overcast all day and very cool too.  Lots of action to report on so let’s get right to it!!

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

1) Zodiac:  The team of Kristen and Nick topped out today.  They are seen here at the start of the first slab pitch, the next to last pitch, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Paul and Chris passed Maria at the top of the Black Tower pitch and are seen here later in the day in this shot from way out west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maria is plugging along and was in the White Circle when I left a bit after 3pm.

 

3) “Irish Paul” Brennan has blasted on the Trip via the VA start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Higher up he climbed to the belay a pitch from the corner of the large roof… plus I always like to get the Black Cat in a shot if possible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  On Gulf Stream Neil Chelton picked away at the dark rock and is making good progress.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Sam and Rhett are moving along on the NA and should be off tomorrow, if the weather holds.  Here they are on the upper Cyclops Eye traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Roger Putnam is leading Eric Grove and Matt Benoit on this pitch of New Dawn to Tribal Rite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Over on the Nose there were several parties in the middle and upper part of the route.  Here a wall style team is hauling bags to Camp 4 which is no longer the recommended method.  Most teams leave the kit where the other blue bag is, in the right of the shot, and haul to the start of the GR to avoid what we see here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Brad Gobright wanted some exercise so he asked a buddy, Nate Mankovich, if he wanted to climb to Sickle with him.  Nate said ok and it went so well that Brad asked if he wanted to do the rest of the route while they were at it.  Nate had never done the Nose but said ok and off they went on a 5 hour NIAD.  Here Brad is using the “crawl” technique instead of running on the King Swing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Nate tried a few times and finally made the swing while running in the worst place possible.  That tan band is soooo smooth… better to run on the coarse rock above or below the band.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Up on the Muir, the team we have been watching did the upper dihedral while I was there…hopefully they got off the route this evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Last pitch in the jupper dihedral of the Muir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Over on the Albatross, Steve Schneider and Jordan Cannon racked up the pitches and ended up at the Canoe to bivy.  Here Jordan is out on lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Later in the day, Steve is seen cleaning gear up to the belay… Steve likes black clothing….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  On Freerider a couple of teams were in evidence.  This is a Korean team of three who climbed well and I hear one of the team sent the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out West John did the last pitch of Octopussy up to Thanksgiving Ledge.

 

In other news:  The President is coming to Yosemite this coming  week.  It should interesting to see what that does to the local scene.

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 11^th day of June, 2016.  Sorry this is kind of late but I didn’t even go to the Lodge due to excessive traffic.

Capt. Tom