ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/22/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… We did it again folks, another perfect day to be climbing ElCap!  I hear the weather calls for some rain by early in next week.  Maybe… maybe not!  Most of the action is still on the big trade routes and I suppose that is how the season is going to finish out.  I will be finishing the Reports for this season on this Monday, the 24^th. 

So you have a couple of days, to get used to the idea …. cold turkey bro… cold turkey!

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

Waterfall route:  The coming rain just might give Pete the excuse he needs to abandon this project.  They have ropes to the top of the third and I don’t hear the bang, bang, of the rope guns blasting the pitches above.  Their camp is still at the top of two and will most likely move up this evening.

 

Zodiac:  Beau States should be getting off this evening, but I hear he stopped one from the top and will finish in the morning.  When I left at 3pm he was at the start of the last two pitches.

1)  Beau climbing above Peanut Ledge this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two man Korean team of, Suk Min Moon and Min Joon Kang, climbed into the Circle and were about to start the center pitch as I departed.  I was none confident about this team, at the start, but they are chipping away at it, in an orderly manner.

2)  Here they are climbing into the Circle early this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve Bate is getting high on the route now and will bivy beneath the Devil’s Brow tonight.  As I have mentioned before, Steve has Retinitis Pigmentosa and has no peripheral vision.  So this climb is extremely difficult for him.  His buddy, Big Andy, says that Steve has very little experience at aid climbing and is doing remarkable well… I second that!

3)  Steve finishing the Nipple pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Steve coming back to his kit in the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, the strong team I watched do the first few, Rob and Kindal from Florida, a couple of days ago, are back on the route.  They climbed to the BT pitch and the leader climbed to the top of the Tower and for some reason came back down and traversed way left, to a belay on another route.  Interesting…are they lost?

5)  The “Lost Team” somewhere near Zodiac!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangerine Trip:  The highest team on the route is the 3 person Korean team who dusted off a couple more pitches today.

 

Lower down, the team of Ryan Tothacker and Kiri Palmer, were seen climbing on the 3^rd pitch and I hear wanted to finish four and blast in the morning.

6)  Ryan leading off on the 3^rd pitch.  Kiri needs to get a shirt on or face severely burned shoulders.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSPO:  Ottawa Doug is way up on the route now and seems lost to us ground dwellers!  I can barely see him up there.  Off in maybe 2 or 3 days.

7)  Doug taking a break, high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose: 

8)  Team Sloan was climbing the last pitch, as I departed today, and are off by now.  Here is Brian Poulsen leading the boys home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A ways behind Sloan’s team was the 3D team, of Spike and Dan, from yesterday… I could barely make them out at camp 6 this afternoon.  A quote from JFK, comes to mind…. You know the one!

 

Lower down, Mike Flood bivied at Camp 4 and climbed the Great Roof and was leading the Pancake as I departed.  Mike is looking strong and seems to have a plan that is working.

9)  Mike Flood, jugging the Great Roof, this morning.  A quote from Winston Churchill, comes to mind… you know the one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, a woman’s team of Kathy and Daniel, did the pendulum into the Legs and were a pitch below Dolt when I left.  Turns out they were making a Dolt run and bivied and bailed.

10)  Daniel hauling Kit in the Stovelegs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below them, a men’s team appeared later in the morning.  Possibly they are Matt and Cameron, from Bend, OR.  Neither team was moving very fast.

 

Salathe:  Thomas and Will are a day behind schedule and may just take another day or climb off in a long day today.

11)  Thomas climbing toward Sous le Toit from the Block this afternoon.  He had it right in the shot but went right and up instead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Not really any news here… nice, big, moon tonight that is sure to bring out the photographers.

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 22^nd day of June, 2013.

I’m outta here!

Capt. Tom