ElCap Report 6/5/2015

ElCap Report 6.5.15   

By Tom Evans

Yo.. We had sweet weather today until around 2pm, when the thunder boomed and the lightning flashed and the rain came tumbling down.  The Nose and Salathe are presently empty, due to the forecast, no doubt.  The East side had most of the action and I never did get out west today as the rain sorta ended my day of shooting.  But here at the café, at 7:00pm the weather looks nice, with broken clouds and sun. 

On a sad note….my trusty T3i camera gave up the ghost and died this afternoon.  So I am having to scramble to get my reserve camera ready to record the action.

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

1)  Bad to the Bone:  Erik and Kate were up and at it early.  Here Erik is jugging off the stance to the high point of yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  As the weather was obviously going to cave, they started setting up camp at their high point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Over on Zodiac, Costa Rican, Alejandro Soto, was also up early where he cleaned and hauled the Black Tower pitch at the  start of the day.  Here he is sorting gear before climbing into the Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Just about time Alejandro got to the end of the first circle pitch the rain came on.  However, he went about his business without pause, as this part of the wall is way overhanging and quite dry in most storms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a few climbers milling around the start of the Zodiac this morning but I know not who they are.  Recently arrived Korean climbers, I suspect.

 

 

5)  VA/Trip:  The British Team spent the morning climbing the last couple of pitches of the VA part.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  I am guessing this is Sean cleaning one of the pitches this morning.  Readers… am I right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Lower down on the Trip, a new well dressed team, consisting of Dave Vaughan and Mark Cartwright, in red shirts, climbed the direct start and were on the 5th as I departed.  Here they are hauling and cleaning to the corner of the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  SSPO:  Aaron and Brent are making good time on the PO part of the route.  Here they are at the end of the first pitch of the day, which Brent lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Just as the storm broke, Aaron and Brent are seen here in the small alcove leading to the Bearing Straits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Over on Mescalito, Yann and Nico put in a solid day yesterday and spent the night at the top of the Bismarck.  Here Yann is leading off the bivy site.  The rain caught them in the open and I think they settled into their ledge for the duration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  High on the Nose I spotted a team of two heading to the top late in the morning.  They were off by 11am.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  ElCap as the storm came on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Some of the Bridge Crew hung out listening to the thunder and watching the lightning, as the rain poured down at the Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The weather is the news for the next few days.  Lots of gloomy weather, coming our way. 

So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the 5th day of June, 2015.

Capt. Tom… staying dry…

NIAP

Hi Tom - sorry we didn't get to meet. Thanks for shooting photos of the Big Stone! My partner Jay and I pushed through the Nose June 4-5. You posted a shot of us just after the King Swing. Also, we were topping out at around 11 am on the 5th. I think I saw you under an umbrella as my partner and I drove off around 3pm or so - had to get back home. Jay wanted a "Huber brothers" shot before we left, if that identifies us :) Really cool again to see shots of us up there! --Daniel and Jay

 

Contact me by email to get the shots I took of you.  Tom

Thanks for the report Tom

Thanks for keeping the outside world connected in a small way to the things going on in the valley.

Research for a film

Hey El Cap climbers and Bridge Dwellers. i am coming to hang out on the bridge from June 15-19 and am looking to talk to people as research for a new film I am making. Stop by an lets chat for a bit.

VA/Trip

I can confirm that it is Jonny in the green with the silver helmet and Sean in the grey with blue helmet on VA/the trip.

Virginia

I believe it's Jon with the silver Helmut, pic 6.

Well dressed team is:

Dave Vaughan (aka BrassNuts) and Mark Cartwright from Boulder. Thanks for the photos!