ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/22/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… Another gorgeous day here in the Valley of Adventure!  We talked about your not being here yesterday, so I will let you off the hook today.  Still… you missed it man!  Once again climbers are getting high on the routes and thus they are getting empty fast… more room for you my dedicated reader!
With the excellent weather set in, this is the time to head up on that big route you have been Jonesin for.  We here at the bridge are ready to record your glory days that, unfortunately, will be gone before you realize it.
Today’s report is brought to you by the Lithuanian team, Gediminas Simutis and Saule Zukauskaite, who are smoking up the Zodiac in great style.  Read all about it below…
Today’s ElCap Report… fresh from the bridge… just for you…

Waterfall route:  I didn’t see them all morning but by afternoon Ammon and Cheryl were on the route with the all the gear at the top of the 2nd pitch.  It looked pretty warm over there.

Bad Seed:  I did see Pete lounging the morning away while his partner was hiking up to blast on the climb.  I never saw Kate but I imagine she is there by now.

Zodiac:  The Lithuanian couple, Gediminas and Saule, are kicking serious ass on this classic aid climb.  Last night they bivied at the top of the Circle after climbing all the way from the top of two.  Today they blew past Grover and Matt and by the time I left they were finishing the pitch above Peanut ledge and must be off my now… one bivy ascent!  Sweet!!
1)  Lithuanian woman, Saule, waiting in the sun to let the bags out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grover and Matt are probably on Peanut ledge now and should be off in the morning or maybe tonight if they push it into the darkness.

Lost in America:  Charlie and Loring bailed from the top of the 8th pitch, down Virginia.  It is a precarious descent that you had better be on your game to pull off.  Overhanging rock all the way to the ground.  I last saw them at the corner of the roof at the top of the Trips 4th pitch.  It took most of the afternoon to get there but they are moving with confidence and should be off about now.  Later.. talked to Charlie and they got down fine with some rope maneuvering and swinging around to get into the rock.  Nice!

North American Wall:  The cammo team of two climbed from the Cyclops Eye bivy this morning and were on the traverse at it’s top as I departed around 4pm.
2)  Reaching for the tension traverse bolt, above the abyss, on the NA Wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  The solo is making his way up the last section of this super-duper route.  He should be off tomorrow.

3)  The Nose:  I saw the 4 man Korean team go over the top this morning.  There were several teams of two in line behind them.  One team was seen hauling loads to camp 5 late in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Down below the higher teams a team of three Euro’s from yesterday did the King Swing and were seen turning the Great Roof in mid-afternoon.  These guys are pretty good free climbers and are making good time.
There was a team crawling up the Legs in the afternoon and may even make DT late in the day if they don’t bail first.

The Shield:  Seth, Justin and Brian are the ones at it again and climbed over the Roof this morning and onto the Headwall as the day progressed.  The leader was sporting a bright lime green shirt for two pitches.  Sweet!  They kept their ledge out most of the day and gave me a good target to show the Tourons about sleeping… seems like someone does that every day… thanks guys!!
4)  Hauling freight in the windy initial pitches of the Shield Headwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thought I saw a bag on the upper pitches of the Salathe but am not sure.

Blast from the Past:
5)  Tom Cecil,Tom  Evans, ?, Todd Offenbacker after the youngsters ascent of Mescalito in 1997.  I was the so called “ground man”.  You can tell by the washboard abs on the climbing crew who was on the climb!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Nicki and Allisyn came by today to hang after Saturdays wedding.  The Tourons reached critical mass on the bridge today and, with the shuttle missing for one and a half hours, the bridge was straining under the load.  Several of the Trades are now wide open and need some action.  A couple of solo’s are geared up for Mescalito and the SAR Reticent team of Mad Dog and Skyler are about to head up.  Andy bowed out as he had some work up in the West.  A good number of climbers came by today but fortunately missed the Touron crunch late in the afternoon.  I spread the “word” about climbing all through the long afternoon. 
So that’s the way it is for this the 22nd day of June 2009.
Bye Bye …
Ansel Evans