ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/7/16

By Tom Evans

Yo… Sunny and warm.. keep saying that and you have the weather for the next several days here in Yosemite. Still not a lot of action up on the Cap.  The Nose remains empty, with the exception of a few teams on the intro pitches to Sickle… no one went above Sickle today.  The Salathe/Freerider seems to be getting the attention these with three teams sending it over the last few days.  We did have a nice SIAD today… read about it all below!

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

1) Zodiac: The “slow” team from yesterday bailed from the top of the Black Tower pitch this morning. BAIL OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several teams and the solo Maria Parkes were at the base today.  Maria will blast when her harness arrives.

 

2)  The Team Extreme Riders have a team on The Trip who fixed over the past few days and blasted today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  The last TER climber is seen here jugging far out in space… I never liked to come up last on steep terrain!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  NA Wall:  Dustin and Mark got up early and returned to the route after laying out a few days for Mark’s thumb to heal after he cut it with a knife taking tape off a few days ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)   Sam Shannon and partner Rhett let Dustin and Mark pass and Sam is seen here later in the day as the sun departed that part of the face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Over on Gulf Stream, Neil Chelton blasted today trying to re-establish the route above the “white zone.”  Here he is hauling kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Over on Freeblast I spotted Jordan Cannon taking a break while climbing with the legendary Steve Schneider today. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Four different parties have made a rush at the Muir to Gray Ledges today and ended up in a long line of sunburnt climbers.  These guys lead the charge in the morning shade.  I have no idea of the routes these teams will be trying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  After the sun came on another team headed toward Gray ledges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  From out West I got a better view of the line up to Gray Ledges.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Salathe/Freerider is busy with some teams descending and others going up.  Here is a group going up to the Ear this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12) YOSAR Big Dog, Bud Miller, and Freddy Wilkinson made excellent progress on a SIAD while I was shooting.  I left around 3pm and they were just below the Headwall, after a 5:30am start.  Here Freddy is charging the pitch above the Ear… still in the shade!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did see John out west on Octopussy but didn't get any good shots of him today.  I didn't see Kate out by Lurking Fear but the angle is bad and it would have been a miracle if I had.

 

In other news:  Tragically a man died rafting, late yesterday.  We are all greatly saddened when something like this happens in our beautiful Yosemite.

So that’s the way it is, on this Tuesday, the 7^th day of June, 2016.

Capt. Tom… sweating it out in the meadow… just for you!