ElCap Report 6/13/2015

ElCap Report 6/13/15

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Warm temperatures dominated ElCap climbing today.  There was a lot of activity on the Hill today, so find your most comfortable chair, put your feet up, and settle in, because you are going up high on the Captain with Old Tom.

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

1)  Zodiac:  The “elderly” Korean team bivied on Peanut Ledge and was starting the first slab pitch as I departed this afternoon.  Here they are leading off Peanut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, the team of two bivied below the Devil’s Brow and were on Peanut when I departed.  I didn’t get any really good shots, of them, to show you.

 

2)  Lowest down the 5 person, Korean Alpine Club, team blasted on the route this morning.  Here they are starting the third pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  BUT toward the end of the 3rd pitch we had an interesting development, as you see in this shot.  So…

CONGRATULATIONS KOREAN ALPINE CLUB TEAM!!  YOU GOT THE SECOND “STICK OF THE DAY” OF THE SEASON!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  ZM:  Sang Woo Lee finished his excellent solo ascent of the route this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Over on the Trip, the mixed TER team is moving into upper part of the route and getting it done.  Here they are breaking the bivy this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!

6)  Lower down on the Trip, Matt Stanich is moving along well, as we see him here on the 8th pitch today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  ZM again…. Two guys look to be doing a push on this difficult route.  The leader looks like a person we have seen recently on the Cap..who?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Over on the Nose the masses plowed further up the route.  Here a team came over from the 3D and got in line for the Great Roof.  Mike Vesper gives the ElCap Salute, while belaying his partner, and son, YMS Guide Gred Coit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Higher up in the afternoon this team climbed the nasty pitch into camp 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Higher yet I spotted this team climbing above the Glowering Spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  This is a shot of one of the two 3D teams that made it to the Nose this morning.  Here Mike Vesper is on the nice ledge just 80ft below camp 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  The Project:  Brad and Mason and crew of Cheyne Lempe and Ben Ditto are hanging out waiting for ….mmmm.. aaaaa… inspiration perhaps!  They don’t look too excited!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Pacemaker:  Hunter is seen leading early this morning while Ken belays in “The Chair”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Freerider:  I didn’t see Mark Hudon and partner Paul yesterday but did spot them this afternoon taking a break on Sous le Toit ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  I did see the UK team of 3 climb onto the Salathe headwall this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  Here they are starting the pitch to Long Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  I hung out with Andy Kirkpatrick for a time this morning, as he sawed off some angles, and got the rest of his kit ready for his solo of Sea of Dreams.  I think he will blast tomorrow. 

Not much parking space down in the line-up these days so be sure to get down there early.

 

So that’s the way it is, on this Saturday, the 13th day of June, 2015.

Later, Ansel Evans

 

Pic 8

That is Greg Coit from YMS and Mike Vesper, my 65 yr old dad that is still cranking away!!