ElCap Reports

Yo... Ok the great weather continues but on the warm side.  A cooling trend is expected in the next few days.  So be here, or be stupid.

I only have about an hour of internet access these days so those of you who are not in Yosemite and are emailing me for your climbing shots will have to bear with me... Drop Box takes ages to download so many images so it will take some time for me to get back to you.... have patience please and keep sending me email reminders every week or so and that way I will remember who you are!  Yesterday, Allfrey and Honnold finished their 7 ElCap routes in 7 days.  They finished on the 3D in a time of 5:15 which is a new time record.  So out of the 7 climbs they got 4 new speed records... not bad for a couple of young guys!!

Actually THE BIG NEWS HERE TODAY is that Jes Meiris, a climbing guide from Colorado, broke the long standing woman's Nose solo record, held by Jackie Florine.  The previous record was 5 days and Jes threw down a nice 27 hour push.  She finished after dark yesterday!  She wisely didn't try to rush, later in the route, and finished without having a case of the "Stupids" which seem to affect people after the 18 hour mark and can be very dangerous.  I talked to her this morning and she looked none the worse for wear.  Congratulations Jes!!

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

1)  Woman's solo Nose record pictures.  Jes climbing the pitch after the King Swing, 12 hours after she started.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Jes on the pendulum into the Grey bands.  She climbed with a pack on the entire climb and also had a small orange bag for extra water and such.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Jes climbing the pitch into Camp 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  The legendary YMS Guide, Scott Stowe, leading a client up on the Nose. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Random dude, hauling freight to the belay before the pitch to ECT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Eric Bissell cranking up the Hollow Flake on the way to a one day ascent Of the Salathe Wall, with Roger Putnam!  Eric is the "new" Tom Evans working at the Bridge several days a week.  Both he and Kristin Anderson are manning the "Ask a Climber" program and are doing excellent work there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Roger leading the Headwall while Eric is lost among the rock... worst dressed person on the Salathe this day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Matt, Keenan, and Jaysen are moving smartly up Tribal Rite.  I got the next several shots today.  This one is of the famous Carrot.  They seem to be exchanging shirts, perhaps to confuse this old man!  Anyway I think Matt has the yellow shirt, Keenan the red, and Jaysen the blue.  Not sure about that though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Big features high on the SE Face of El Capitan.  Tribal Rite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Pitch after the Carrot, as the shade comes on. Tribal Rite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Hanging at the belay as the cool afternoon shade envelops the men.  Tribal Rite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Part of the large 5 person TER team breaking down the bivy at the start of the White Circle, on Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Local resident out for a morning on the Merced River, near the ElCap Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Jes Meiris stopped by the Bridge to say good bye before driving home to Colorado.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that's the way it is, for this Monday, the 9th day of June, 2014.

More later,

Capt. Tom