ElCap Report 6/1/13

ElCap Report 6/1/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Warm weather seems to have settled in now.  The temperatures on the cliff are not bad yet but could be soon.  Take extra water!!  One gallon a day per person is normal… in the coming conditions you might want to take 1.5 gallons/day.  We are having some good action on the Hill these days but we await climbers who will do more than just the big Trade Routes.  So come on down!!

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

Zodiac:  There are two parties on this classic track.  The highest is the one I mentioned yesterday as being almost ignored day before yesterday.  Chris and Apple climbed from the Black Tower to the top of the White Circle yesterday and were headed toward Peanut when I left.  These guys are pretty good…

1)   Letting out the kit from the start of the Mark of Zorro pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Climbing the Devil’s Brow pitch this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, Corwin Diamond and Bryan Pyne, climbed from the top of three to the Black Tower while I was shooting.  The new, neon bright colors are not so good as expected because the camera sensors tend to make them into blobs without edge definition… so … go back to standard colors please!

3)  Cowin climbing the Bolt ladder pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Several teams were on the Nose today.  There was a bag team who climbed well into the Grey Bands while I was there. 

4)  The leader did the King Swing and hit the right spot but didn’t believe in it enough to send it.  He went lower and got it done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another team came up the Jardine and looked to be a NIAD.  I don’t think they are fast enough to do it in daylight and might not slide in under 24 hours. 

5)  The leader decided to skip the regular method to do the Jardine Traverse and tried a pendulum to pass the second part… guess what?... It didn’t work!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Two German teams, who were high on the route yesterday, topped out this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PreMuir:  Madaleine and Joe made the Traverse into the Gray Bands this afternoon.  They labored in the heat of the afternoon and should find nicer climbing higher in the coming days.

7)  Madaleine working the tricky face climbing on the Traverse in warm conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe/Freerider:  There seem to be people living up there who I have never seen!  They show up in the middle of the route without seeming to climb up to it!!  Top downer Pukes!

 

8)  This team bailed from the Alcove this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Two teams climbed off the route via the Freerider traverse, under the Roof, this afternoon.  This shot is of a guy on Sous le toit giving the ElCap Salute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  This shot shows the first team under the Roof this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  The second team crossed later in the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never Never Land:  The guys bivied at the Pinnacle of Hammerdom, last night, and climbed well toward Thanksgiving Ledge late in the afternoon.

 

West Buttress:  I did see Pete and his crew hauling freight up the route in the afternoon.  It looks like they fixed two or three pitches, over the past days, and are now moving up.  I assume they will camp high, and make a run for a tag on the top, and then come back down to rap to the deck.

12)  Pete and Mark Winey at the belay, next to what I call, “Half Dome on ElCap”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Bridge was jammed with Tourons this afternoon, which has becoming the norm these days.  It is a lot of work explaining climbing... over and over and over and over and over and over… all day long, as each new group gets off the shuttle bus.

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 1st day of Jun e, 2013.

Today, I am remembering my wonderful parents, Murray and Margaret Evans, who, had they survived, would be celebrating their 73rd

 wedding anniversary.  They are still loved and missed and will live on in my memory as long as I live.  They have

 my profoundest gratitude, for being the wonderful parents they were.

Outta here…

Tom

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kristin Greenhaw

Looking forward to seeing Team Oklahoma on the mountain tomorrow! Thank you so much for doing this!

Tourons

Hey, Tom. I was a touron the week that Hans and Yuri set the speed record up the nose. I still appreciate the education you gave me. (Even introduced me to Hans and Yuri the morning they missed the record by a few minutes. You are doing a great job. I still follow your reports on a regular basis. (I was out there last summer - the day after Hans and Alex set the record - and you were gracious as ever.)

Keep up the great work.

BTW, I still have the signed poster of the climber with the moon in the background on my office wall. I get lots of comments on it. Gives me a great chance to brag on you and the work you do.

Cool

How do they go to the bathroom up there?
Just kidding! Thanks Tom!!

Groundhog Day #2?

Apparently, Tom Evans has been cast as the Bill Murray character in this heart-warming remake. Touron extras are in short supply, so please stop by the Bridge to apply.

Hang in there, Tom.

Bas Ass!

Doin it again.

Great shots Tom.

answer to questions..

What are the top two questions? I am guessing--how do they get the ropes up there, and how do they go to the bathroom?

Maybe you could create big poster sized signs with the answers illustrated...