ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/3/16

By Tom Evans

Yo..  Still sunny and warm but not quite hot.  The Cap has parties scattered about but no route is really crowded.  Another weekend is upon us and like last weekend I may or may not be able to get a report out each day.  We are still awaiting news about the woman’s solo in a day attempt yesterday.

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

1) Zodiac:  Over the past two days a team of two has fixed to the top of the 4^th.  Here the nicely dressed leader is on the third pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down I watched Maria, a friend of Neil Chelton’s, climb the first two pitches of Zodiac this afternoon.  She is soloing the route.

 

2) ZM:  Sean was on the last pitch when I departed this afternoon.  He has climbed well and I think will be happy to be done!  Meadow time of for the lanky Brit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Trip:  The two man team reached the top of the route this afternoon after a job well done.  Here they are early this morning finishing the second bolt ladder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down a new team fixed the first two this morning/afternoon.

 

4)  Gulf Stream:  The lower part of the original route has been a death trap for the past several years and as a result it has received no attention at all.  Neil Chelton, who you have seen many times on the Report, is out to do the route with a two pitch starting variation bypassing the death pitches.  Looks like he is getting it done.  The white area of recent rock fall is the area he is avoiding.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  3D:  Kitty and Elaina diverted from The Muir over to the Nose late yesterday.  Today they climbed the Great Roof and above and will stay at Camp 5 tonight.  Here the sunlight caught them at the stance beginning the Great Roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Here they are turning the Great Roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Lower down this team made it all the way to ECT by the time I departed.  Several other teams from yesterday bailed from Dolt.  And two teams from yesterday climbed off ECT headed slowly to Camp 4 this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  El Corazon:  The Kerzhner borthers worked the traverse pitch, leading left to the Tower to The People, this morning.  The traverse starts under the large roof on the right and traverses out left, on very difficult climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  In this shot one of the brothers is off the traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe/Freerider:  I know several teams are up there, staging out of the Alcove.  I did see a couple of guys drop down and do the Monster.  I didn’t see the women’s team.

 

10)  Dihedral Wall:  Adam and Zac are motoring along out west in the blazing afternoon sun.  I spotted them this afternoon climbing above “The Flake”.  The belayer is hunkered down under the shade of the portaledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Higher up the leader is seen here finishing the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Octopussy:  John Selove is rolling along getting the pitches done.  Here he is as the light reached him this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Later in the afternoon John is seen here cleaning a pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Lost World/Squeeze Play:  Kate is moving along well, in spite of the heat and some illness.  Here she is in a long corner that provided shade yesterday and part of today.  Keep it going Kate!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Big Party at the Ranch this weekend… come on up!  Since I am camping up there I have already broken out the ear plugs in hopes of getting some sleep!!

So that’s the way it is, on this Friday, the 3^rd day of June, 2016.

Capt. Tom