ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/20/2016

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Clouds have come into the valley, bringing a much needed respite from the recent hot weather.  Slight chance of rain in the forecast.  The action is heating up as you will read in the Report below… so get to it!

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

1)  Zodiac:  A solo, Alex Vaught, has shown up on the route… he did the first two and hauled kit.  Here he is rappin down to start cleaning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  On the Trip, the team of Asian climbers is moving alone well.  Here they are at the start of the third pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Native Son:  Sean Warren, who soloed ZM last season, is back for another big solo, this time on Native Son.  Here he is giving the ElCap salute on the first pitch of the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Heart Land:  The 2^nd ascent of this route is off the deck.  Here John Rigg is hauling the start of a massive kit.  John, Chris Trull and Pete Zabrock are on this extended camping trip up the great rock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Seemingly immune from slack days, the Nose is still bringing them in. 

5) Gena Rose and partner Eric Lynich, did a NIAD and were climbing off Eagle Ledge when I got this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Here they are higher, in the Gray Bands, later in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Red hot Brad Gobright and equally hot Jim Reynolds, smoked up the route in 4:30 this morning.  Here they are on the pitch into Camp 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Higher Brad is seen passing a wall style team member, just below Camp 6.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Lower down, Tina Seligman is seen here at the belay, while YMS guide, Maranda Oakley leads the way.  You may recall that Maranda became the first woman to solo the Nose in less than a day, knocking it off in 20 hours and change in the middle of the summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Higher they are seen in the Stovelegs.  I have learned they are retreating ... not sure what is up... weather is looking threatening .. so.. we will see.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  BAIL OF THE DAY!!  This team made an orderly retreat from ECT this morning after climbing well yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Over on the Salathe this team topped out this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Lower down Nick and Nicky, from YOSAR, are seen climbing above the Spire in this shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Face Lift starts in earnest today.  Last night they had a showing of Real Rock that garnered considerable interest among the afflicted.  A couple more big climbs are about to happen too… and Big Andy Kirkpatrick is rumored to be in transit for one of his big wall “events”… stay tuned… it could get weird around here!

So that’s the way it is on this Tuesday, the 20^th day of September, 2016.

Capt. Tom