ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/28/09
By Tom Evans
Yo..  Well ....you got a taste of no ElCap Report yesterday, when you were expecting to get one.  How did that feel?  Not so good?  Get a little nervous?  Wonder if old Tom had been taken out by the Shuttle Bus?  Rest easy my dedicated readers… old Tom is still in the world and still hitting it hard!  The problem was the internet was out here for a day and even though I had the Report written, I couldn’t post it.  You can breathe now!!

The weather is changing as I type these lines.  Some clouds drifted in today and the temps dropped.  Tomorrow will be in the 70’s for a change.  Rain is a possibility too, but at 20% I don’t think anyone is bailing yet. 
Today’s report is brought to you by Erik Sloan.  He and Logan did the North Face of Quarter Dome a few days back, on my recommendation, and he is going back in there, coming down from the top, on miles of rope, to replace the shitty old quarter inchers that infest the route.  A long and difficult task done just because he likes to give back to the climbing community for all the good things he has experienced here.  Rumor has it that DP, always up for an adventure, is going in too, just to look at the high quality of the route. 
Today’s ElCap Report… just for you…unique in all the world!

Zodiac:  The Canadian Mafia was up fixing again today and hauled bags to the top of three.  they blast in the morning.  If these guys had  fixed any higher it will be a siege climb!  Below them a team of three from Flagstaff, Eric, Jim, and Brian climbed the first 4 and are on the route, going up.  A solo is schlepping loads to the base too.

Trip:  Finally… the two climbers slowly making their way up the route bailed from the top of the 9th today. I hear from a wife that they are very low on water and dehydrated.  I watched them all day and they made good, safe progress down as the day wore on.  They were down aiding the 5th pitch when I left at 3pm to go out west.  I could see it coming from day one and was pleased to see them do the descent with competence and care.  A difficult retreat well done!!  They should be on the ground now.

Edit:  I talked to these Italian climbers just moments ago... the heat was awful and water almost gone so they came down. 
1)  Rappin to the top of the 6th on the Trip.  BAIL OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Iron Son:  The three man team was climbing the last pitch as I shot them, from way out west, around 4pm today.  They made it look easy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  I saw a team go over the top this afternoon.  Below them the fast team from yesterday had already done the KS when I arrived.  They rapidly moved through the Grey Bands and were on the GR when I left.
3)  Checking the Topo at Camp 4.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Climbing the Great Roof in mid afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the multitudes moved up the Stove Legs like a plague of Locus!  They were lead by the Brits, who arrived at ECT just after noon, having slept on DT, and were fixing higher when I left..  Below them was a team of two who crossed DT late in the day and below them was a gaggle of three who were last seen slowly bulldozing their way to Dolt late in the day.  Below them… getting a little tired of this?… me too!  Anyway, a roped solo was climbing a pitch behind the team of three.  However, he was without baggage, so may have just been out on a practice run.  We will see tomorrow!  I hear there are others staging below.  Oh My God, the humanity!!

Shield:  The team of Callum and Neil, who did Zodiac a week or so ago, make their appearance climbing the Shield Roof and onto the Headwall above this morning.  These guys are fast.  The Groove was dusted off in about an hour!  They were headed up the Triple Cracks when I left.  Mild wind and warm up there today… tomorrow will sing a different song!
5)  Callun and Neil at the Triple Cracks, shot from way down town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  Stephane, who you may recall was the first to send Freerider as a roped solo a couple of years ago, rapped the route today taking a look at the possibility of a one day ascent of the same.  He cruised past several parties and was down at the bridge early in the day.  He wasn’t feeling the love and was not optimistic this time.
Lower down two teams climbed close together and did the Ear and headed to the Alcove in late afternoon.
6)  “Yo Dude… I used a #3 there!!     Stephane rappin past a climber leading above the Ear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Octopussy:  I did see Pete and Kate on top of Peter Pan at their encampment this morning.  By afternoon they had moved some bags up and Kate was leading the pitch above Half Dome on ElCap.
7)  Pete in his usual pose on top of Half Dome on ElCap.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Another Killer sunset from my house in Crestline, CA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Legendary Yosemite climber and super nice guy, Steve Gerberding, stopped by and we had the bridge to ourselves this morning.  I haven’t seen him for a while and we got caught up on things in our lives, and he set the record straight on the Shield climb with Tracy and Troy, funny stuff that!!  He is up to do a solo climb on the Way Upper East Side of the Cap.  He insists on wearing a white shirt and I was going to kick his ass over it but didn’t want to die just yet!!  I’ll keep you posted. 
I talked to EE at a FL show the other night and he and a bud are planning on a run on the really photogenic route that Nicky and Alix climbed last fall… the pics could be fabulous, so keep reading the Report every day.
So that’s the way it is for this the 28th day of 2009.
Bring your rain gear….
Later Tom