ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/14/14

By Tom Evans

Yo... perfect weather is here and we still need some replacements for the teams that have climbed and gone home... what about You??

I noticed a forest fire just starting up on my way into the park this morning.  We have had smoke drifting in all day and that is making for some bad atmospherics. 

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

1)  Stevie G and the boys were out today fixing and hauling at the start of Zodiac today.  They are flying a couple of flags that we don't see much on ElCap.  Notice the guy in back of the flags is wearing black.... not good...not good at all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Turning the roof on the 2nd of Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  The Team Extreme Riders, Aurora Team are on the rock for the duration.  The Black Cat seemed to be interested in the leader... so he passed as quickly and quietly as possible!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  At the roof above the Cat the route goes up and left to the Bat Cave.  The leader is heading to the Cave in this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  At the belay the other team members just hung out and waited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Out west I spotted Jim Reynolds bivy, on Cosmos, under an exfoliated slab of granite... really?  I don't think I would want to stay for very long under that thing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Way out west I spotted two teams on Lurking Fear.  Got this shot from way out south west. I think it is Jeff and Stan .. notice the Window Pane Flake on the lower right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  The other Lurking Fear group on the 6th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Wide angle shot of the Great Roof with what I call the "Blue Bag Team" climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  The Pancake Flake and pitch into Camp 5... can see the "Blue Bag" but not the climbers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Andy and the lads topped out this afternoon on the Nose!  Here one of the lads is leading the final pitch.  Nice job team Andy!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  I spotted Alice Ng's three person team on the Salathe headwall this afternoon.  Took this one from miles away!  Off tomorrow for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Set up early last night so I would be ready for the moonrise, unlike the night before when I ran around like a mad man when I realized the moon was up and moving fast.  This was one of the ones I liked.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Interesting shot from the internet... a modern cruise ship compared to the Titanic in front of it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that's the way it is, on this Saturday, the 14th day of June, 2014.

Later, Capt. Tom