ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/1/15

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Strong winds at the meadow kept pestering my efforts all day and by 3pm it was just too windy to continue shooting.  But I did get some good shots!  It was cold and windy on unprotected parts of the Cap.  The Nose saw two NIAD teams with the first way out ahead of the other one.  The Salathe remains empty.  So take a break and come with me, up high on The North American Wall, The Shortest Straw, and Zodiac, along with other action.

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

1)  Zodiac:  Andy Kirkpatrick and Charles Sherwood climbed into the circle today.  Here is Charles cleaning while Andy is short fixed and leading above the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Lower down a team of two are obviously on a ZIAD, and set a blistering pace up the route.  Here the leader is coming into the White Circle this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  At the Nipple pitch the ZIAD boys passed Andy and Charles and are on that famous pitch in this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  NA Wall:  The Vegas crew bivied a pitch below the Black Cave and let the Women’s team pass last evening.  Here the men are waiting for the women to clear the belay above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  I have say the women’s team of Gena, June, and Shayna are really ripping it up on the NA!  They are moving fast and confidently.  Here they are at the belay, after the Black Cave with Shayna jugging and cleaning in the cold updrafts.  Gotta love watching this stuff!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Later Shayna took the pitch to the Cyclops Eye and is seen here out on lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Nose:  This is the lead NIAD team leader on the King Swing.  This guy got some serious altitude on his run and quickly sent the swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Shortly thereafter the second came over and got a little help to get over to Eagle Ledge.  They were starting the Great Roof when I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Behind the first NIAD team, the second one got a later start, but moved along and were doing the Boot when I departed.  Here they are at the stance above Dolt Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Lower on the Nose a team of three escaped Sickle Ledge well enough but were not so fast in the Legs.  Must have been due to that guy wearing a black shirt!!  Look there.. see the difference a good colored shirt makes??.. how many times have I told you that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I didn’t get out west today and I suppose the Lost World crew is a couple of pitches higher by now.

11)  TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!!  John Selove, climbing the Sawblade Flake, on the Straw late this morning.  Yeah!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  A team is fixing on Mescalito and another is due to start South Seas to the Pacific Ocean route shortly.  EE is up on Bad to the Bone moving freight.

Trina Seligman will be climbing tomorrow, with YMS Guide Mark Grundon, on the West Face of the Leaning Tower.  She is doing a fund raiser for Crohn’s and Colitis cures.  She has done shorter routes in preparation for the climb.  I will try to find out a webpage to link to for this effort.  I will be doing some shooting for her and post a shot or two on the Report.

So that’s the way it is, for this sunny Monday, the 1^st day of June, 2014.

On a personal note, today would be the 75^th wedding anniversary of my parents, Margaret and Murray Evans, had they lived this long.  Dad would have been 99 this year had he not died at the early age of 52, and Mom 97 had she not died at 67 years of age.  They were wonderful people, and I remember them often.

Capt. Tom