ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/20/16

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Today was another fine day for climbing and it seems there are more climbers on, or headed up to, the cliff.  None of the routes is crowded, at the moment, and this may be the last week or so of cooler weather this season, so get going with your plans.

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

1) The Korean climber, Ko, really put on the afterburners yesterday, climbing from the Devil’s Brow pitch to the next to last slab pitch.  He was hauling kit after topping out earlier in the day today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Tangerine Trip:  Kenny and Dylan pushed hard for the top today and were last spotted finishing the second bolt ladder this afternoon.  Here they are leaving the bivy to start the day’s climbing.  Keny leading in this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Lower down, Paul Gagner and partner Suzanne Stroeer started the route today.  Here they are fixing on the second pitch of the VA start to the Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Gulf Stream:  Neil Cheldon has finished with all the harder pitches on the route and could be off in a couple of long days of climbing or 3 days of normal speeding along.  Here he is letting out the kit this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  NA Wall:  A new team has started on this classic track.  I spotted them climbing the 4^th pitch this afternoon.  They climbed the chimney pitch later in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  The Nose is back in business!  A couple of NIAD teams busted past the wall style teams and should be off by dark.  I don’t know who is who up there but the person in the red outfit is one of the members of a NIAD team.  This shot is of a wall style team on the Boot, shot from out East this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Pitch into Camp 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  One of the NIAD teams waiting to start on the Great Roof.  ElCap salute!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  NIAD team on the GR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  The “Red” NIAD team on Pancake Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Red NIAD team leaving the Camp 5 area this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did see a two-man team climb to the Alcove on the Salathe this afternoon.  Wondering who they are…

 

12)  Coast Guard C-130 making one of its regular flights over the valley this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Not much to report at the moment.  Exciting news soon!

So that’s the way it is, on this Monday, the 20^th day of June, 2016.

Capt. Tom…here to the end.