ElCap Report 6/6/2015

ElCap Report 6/6/15

By Tom Evans

Yo… It was another mixed day here in the Ditch.  A nice morning, with perfect temperatures, turned into pouring rain around 2pm which continues into the evening.  Tourons are fleeing the Park, like rats from the Titanic.  Climbers are sitting around the café talking shit and fixating on their electronic devices.  Most of the teams on the Cap’s SE face are low enough to be in the “dry zone”.  However, the SSPO team is on the Island in the Sky ledge, which is exposed to rain and wind.  Also the Northern AZ crew, on the Dihedral, is in the wet zone.  All the teams on the wall have ledges and rain fly’s so we should have some good “suffering stories” but hopefully nothing serious.  I have just finished the Report, it is 7:30pm, and the rain has stopped and the sky clear!

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

1)  Bad to the Bone:  Erik and Kate are relentlessly moving up the route and are a few pitches from the top.  Here we see them breaking down their bivy from last night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  This is Kate leading an interesting looking pitch, high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Zodiac:  Costa Rican, Alejandro Soto, climbed into the White Circle yesterday and had finished the center pitch by the time I arrived this morning.  Here is returning to his kit to let it out and clean the pitch above.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Here Alejandro is hauling kit to the start of the Nipple pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Alejandro is seen at the Nipple on this long shot from out west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  VA/Trip:  The Brits are moving along well and this shot is of Jon leading the so called “slab pitch” while Sean belays in the sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  This is a closer shot of Jon leading the slab pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!!!

Trip:  Dave Vaughan and Mark Cartwright, from Colorado, came up the direct start and today climbed the 8th and 9th pitches while I was shooting.  Here they are at the stance on the start of the 9th.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Not sure which Tripper this is, but I liked the shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Out on SSPO Aaron Cassebeer is seen leading the long part of the Bearing Straits while Brent Cooley tends the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Later in the morning Aaron lead off on the short pitch up to the Island in the Sky.  Unfortunately it started seriously raining before they got to the Island.  They will be ok once on the ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Mescalito:  The team of Yann and Nicolas did make the Ship’s Bow last night and were up and moving when I arrived to shoot this morning.  Here Nico is cleaning the wide pitch above the ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Later in the morning Yann lead the last pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Yann waving to us as Nico and the kit are ready to come up to the top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  Out west on the Dihedral Wall, the Flagstaff team of Cameron, Charlie, and Jim are way up on the route now.  Here they are spotted at the top of the 17th pitch this afternoon.  I think they were still climbing when the storm broke.  This pitch leads to a lower angle area that is susceptible to runoff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The pattern of good and rainy days seems to be continuing, well into the future.  I suggest staying off the SW Face and the Nose until things get settled down.  The SE Face should offer good, dry climbing, right up to the last couple of pitches for most routes.

Today we remember the Normandy landings, in WWII, that happened 71 years ago.  Many people made the ultimate sacrifice so the world would be a better place for all mankind.

So that’s the way it is, for this rainy Saturday, the 6th day of June, 2015.

Capt. Tom…remembering all our military personnel, past and present.  

Trip Team

Hey Tom, are you sure its not Dave Vaughn on the trip and not Dan. Only asking because I know my friend Dave Vaughn was coming from Colorado to climb on the big stone. Other wise, thanks for the report, jonesing over here.

D-Day

Tom, The Normandy Invasion was 71 years ago. But who's counting?