ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/22/2016

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Fall weather is upon us.  The day dawned clear and cold and the rain was a distant memory.  The Big Stone is seeing more action now and some interesting routes are being climbed.  So stay tuned for all the latest news straight from the Captain. 

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

 

1)  Zodiac:  The solo climber, Alex Vaught, has returned and made good time from the top of the third which he had fixed a couple days before.  I last saw him starting the Black Tower pitch.  Here he is on the 5^th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Bart Bledsoe is solo on the route right next to Zodiac… the Shortest Straw.  Here he is starting the 2^nd pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Trip Team added another member this morning and had finished the 5^th when I departed this afternoon.

 

3)  Brandon Adams and a couple of the Volunteer women climbed Sean’s lines on Native Son to go up to the ElCap Tree and see what trash could be found.  Here they are taking a break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Heart Land:  The crew spent most of the day moving kit up to where they had fixed the day before. 

JUNK SHOW OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  South Seas to Pacific Ocean:  Robbie Brown and Steve Tata are on the route.  Here Robbie is leading the intimidating 1^st pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Robbie also lead the second pitch later in the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  As usual the Nose is seeing the lion’s share of the traffic these days.

7)  Here we see the traffic jam at the start of the third pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Higher we see a climber making the moves to gain Sickle Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  However, Sickle Ledge was full up and several parties waited a long time before going down to start another day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  This mixed team made it to the Stovelegs around 3pm and had a long way to go to Dolt Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  I did get this shot of Mark Hudon with friends Dustin and Liz, hauling kit up the fixed lines.  Mark is looking to do a free ascent of Freerider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Over on the Salathe I did spot this team climbing to Hollow Flake Ledge this morning.  They are moving to the Ear when I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Face Lift is going well and the place is covered with people looking for trash.  Great weather is expected for the next 8 days so this just might be your chance to get the ElCap route, you have been dreaming of, climbed!

So that’s the way it is, on this Thursday, the 22^nd day of September, 2016.

Later.. Capt. Tom