ElCap Report 9/17/11

ElCap Report 9/17/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… It couldn’t have been a nicer day in Yosemite.  Fall days are here!  The Nose is still jammed, as most of the teams from yesterday chose not to bail.  Plan accordingly.  The rest of the rock is not jammed and you have you choice of anything you want… hell, Zodiac is, and has been, completely empty!  So saddle up want-a-be EC climbers and get your butts here while the getting and weather is good.  
Today’s ElCap Report… written just for you… unique in all the world!

Shortest Straw:  Who are these two guys?  They are climbing well and were at the intersection with Zodiac this afternoon.  
1)  Crossing the white lines on the Straw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  Remember I mentioned something about three climbers fixing on the route a few days ago?  Well they showed up today and climbed to the top of the 6th as I departed this afternoon.  Looks like a couple of women and a man judging by their hair.  They are using the 3 person system and are doing well.
2)  Third person gets to jug with the bags… better to clean on this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Continental Drift:  Unfortunately I know nothing about this route so my descriptions will be vague.  I did see Pete out leading this afternoon and the pic below is of that pitch.  Pete, Neil, and Callum are on for good now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PO Wall:  The guys are moving right along and supposedly have a time constraint but you would never know it by watching them.  They should be on the Continental Shelf tonight.
4)  Adam out on the pitch with the short but tricky pendulum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meacalito:  Phil, the solo climber, is getting way up there now and will bivy on the Bow just three from the top.  He should be off tomorrow.  I hear he has somewhat limited experience at soloing and is learning as he goes.  Good on you Phil!  Looks like you have it figured out!
5)  Phil way up there in the big country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down Aussies Duncan and Hugh continue to put the pitches behind them.  They finished the Molar this morning and were headed a few higher by late afternoon.
6)  Hugh leading one of the harder pitches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The Belgian TV crew continues to roll up the route, crushing all before it.  They were somewhat delayed by a Spanish team that dared come near them.  However, cooler heads prevailed, and the Spanish team was quietly tossed into the abyss.  Well….. not really.  
Anyway, Hondo came by the Bridge and watched the show for a while and we were both amazed to see Tom Waes, the TV guy, lead the Great Roof… No shit… the guy, who was not a climber before this week, lead the fricking Great Roof!!  We couldn’t believe it!  The team is installed at Camp 5 for the night and will be off tomorrow.  Tommy boy, you made a believer out of me!!
7)  Tom Waes, leading the Great Roof!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Nico climbing the Pancake Flake as Tom belays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up, Scott Stowe and partner Rod Washington were seen on the last pitch around 3pm and should be long gone by now.
Lower down two South African women, Gosha and Julia, who were among those languishing in the Legs yesterday, stayed in the fight and were the first group to the Boot.  They got some really strange beta I guess and were ages getting past it.  Behind them several teams were stacked up like airliners at LaGuardia waiting to move.  The good news is that the Stovelegs are empty and there is only one team, of four, moving up lower down and that team  has Timmy O’Neill and Dave Turner in it…. So it will be a fun time for those guys!

Salathe:  I did see a couple of Brits do the Hollow Flake this morning before vanishing in the afternoon…
9)  Running it out on the Hollow Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up Mayan worked down from the Spire and tried the pitch above the Ear, which I was unable to determine the result of.  She lowered down further and lead the Monster from the bottom without difficulty.  She is planning on being up there a few more days.
10)  Mayan on the lower Monster, belayed by SAR guy Zack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Dihedral Wall:  I noticed some bags at the top of 5 yesterday and saw the three person team, dressed in dark colors, doing the Black Dihedral this afternoon.  You can imagine how thrilled I was to shoot them.. Like shooting in a coal mine at midnight!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Hole World:  Ammon and Richie are on the upper part of the route now and will soon be doing the Pinnacle of Hammerdom.  I caught a glimpse of Ammon near the skyline this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Libby and Chantel came by the Bridge today to bask in the glory of their new woman’s speed record, on the Nose.  The Tourons loved it and all wanted pics of the dynamic duo and were so busy chatting them up that I had an easy afternoon!  Then Hondo showed up and I just sat down and watched the show… thanks for an easy day!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s the way it is for this Saturday, the 17th day of September, 2011.
Weekend traffic here is so mellow… nothing like late Spring and Summer.  I’m lovin it!!
Later Tom
 

Two guys who bailed from dolt yesterday

I'm one of them! Was wondering if you had any photos? I LOVE your site!

Wow!

This / these / those are some outstanding photos and reports! This is definitely "eye candy"!

Thank you! Thank you!

Welcome back for the fall season, Tom. Glad to be able again to read your great posts with the fabulous photos and commentary.

Also, it is good news, too, that you are well set up for posting. Yeah!

See you October 22-23.

Ammon Skyline

That's a keeper!!!

Sweet looking day, great pics, and great company....

That's Tom livin the life

Cheers

Looking Good

Some really nice shots today weather looks great

Russ

The Cdrift photo is of the

The Cdrift photo is of the Galapagos pitch... bolts were added when they freed it on what became El Nino.

the third climber's name is

the third climber's name is Callum