ElCap Report 9/27/16

ElCap Report 9/27/16

By Tom Evans

Yo… It’s still kinda warm these days but the forecast is for much cooler temps coming soon … so if the heat is your problem, then your salvation is at hand.  I was able to get down to EC to shoot for 4 hours this morning, so I have a better variety of shots for you today.  The teams we have been watching in recent days have moved up the cliff now and some even have topped out. 

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

1)  Zodiac:  The two teams that were bumper to bumper yesterday, separated enough to have the higher team top out early this morning.  Here is the lower team at the belay before the Devil’s Brow pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Here the lower team is starting the pitch above Peanut Ledge early this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Bart Bledsoe has pretty much gotten the Straw done, save the last few of Zodiac.  Here he is finishing the lead to the start of the Sun and Steel pitch.  He had some great lycra pants but his shirt was black and thus he didn’t show up in the photos very well.  The shirt is the important thing for good visibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  The Tangerine Trip crew finished the first 4 today and here are spotted at the start of the classic 5th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Sean Warren made it to the Equator pitch by the time I left in early afternoon.  Here he is leading the pitch to the Equator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next series of shots are from the PO, in the Central Latitudes.

6)  Eli lead this section of the route while Ido cleaned and hauled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Central Latitudes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Central Latitudes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Steven Tata hauling kit to the top of the Black Tower high, on the PO route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Robbie Brown got the lead off the Black Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Robbie also got the lead through the Aleutian Chain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Back in the dark rock, Pete took the plunge off the “Westward Ho” pitch.  He was uninjured and continued the lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  The Nose was lightly populated today, with just a couple teams on the route, not mentioning the ones who bailed from the start of the Legs early this afternoon.  Here a strong climber was about 5ft too high to cross the corner on the King Swing.  He came down a bit and made it on the next go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  I did see this random dude and partner hauling kit up the ropes to Heart this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also saw some kit and ropes hanging from under the shield roof but left before they climbed over the roof.  Also looked like another party was climbing up to Gray Ledges …headed…?

In other news:  We had a major crew in the meadow with some famous climbers, old timers, and various up and comers in and out.

So that’s the way it is, on this Tuesday, the 27th day of September, 2016.

Wishing my son, Tom, the best of birthdays on this his 44th!

Capt. Tom

 

Freerider

Whats the news on Hudon?

Shield

I believe a team of 2 and a team of 3 will be pretty much on top of eachother heading up the shield. They blasted wednesdayish when we were hauling our kit to Heart

 

I think we now have two teams of two up there now.  Tom