ElCap Report 9/28/18

ElCap Report 9/28/18

By Tom Evans

Yo… The weather is no longer on the warm side but has moved into the blazing hot region.  Most climbers have stayed away from the cliff or have tried and bailed from their chosen routes. Many climbers have volunteered to help clean up Yosemite via the Face Lift. However, the forecast is for cooler temps and possible rain early next week.  We could use some rain as Yosemite has become a dust bowl from all the logging and a long dry summer. The air still has some smoke at times as there are fires smoldering from the past few weeks.  Some hard core teams are still up there battling it out, seeking to realize their dream climbs.  Hey you lurkers... how about some donations to the site... I do this for your enjoyment and am getting hungry here! 

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

1)  The speedy three-man team has finished the Muir.  Here is a shot of them on the final dihedral on their last day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  The Muir wall team is seen here on the final pitches of the Muir.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Another speedy team, but on the Shortest Straw, is seen here working up the Saw Blade Flake in the Great White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  This part of the Straw is really steep as shown by the climber ascending the rope on the right side of the shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  The Shield team of Mac and Henry finished the route a couple of days ago.  Here they are climbing the Triple Cracks in the middle of the headwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  The day after the shot in #5 the Shield team was seen about to reach Chicken head ledge the first ledge to be found in 1,000 ft of climbing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Over on Winds of Change, Pete is seen here cleaning some gear from a pitch fixed the day before, as Erik and Neil wait their turns to advance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Yesterday the Winds team climbed the ridge up toward the Pinnacle of Hammerdom, with Erik leading most of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  The Nose is seeing a lot of suitors, half of whom never get to the Stovelegs before bailing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Yesterday a team of local rescue climbers braved the heat to climb above Hollow Flake ledge, in the afternoon glare on Freerider.. they bailed today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  A persistent mixed team endured the heat today to continue pressing on to the Alcove, on the Salathe route.  The woman is seen cleaning the pitch above the Ear in debilitating heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Talk about heat… this three-man team has been swimming in it the whole way. Here two of them are seen climbing a few pitches above Timbuktu tower in late morning, on Never Never Land.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Afternoon found the NNL leader staring out at the world from the end of a hard-fought pitch in blistering heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Maria and Jana are seen here hauling kit early in the afternoon on the Muir Wall Route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  The woman’s Muir Wall team is taking the conditions in stride and are putting a show for the home crowd high on the Muir Wall.  Here Jana is seen cleaning the pitch below the wide chimney before the bivy ledge where they hope to spend their final night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  A team was spotted this morning doing the LA start to the Virginia variation of Tangerine Trip.  Here they are seen a pitch off the deck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  By afternoon the VA team had passed the “Black Cat” and are seen here on the rivet ladder pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  Alex Honnold is here to show and promote his movie about the first and only un-roped climb of an ElCap route.  A local TV crew came out to interview him about the climb, and I bagged this shot from the meadow with the big gun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19)  The Valley is strewn with wreckage from extensive damage born by the Bark Beetle on our pine trees.  It will take years to clean up the mess and return the park to its former glory.  This is the scene down by the ElCap Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Camp 4 is going to be without a campground ranger starting on Oct 1.  Reservations will be by envelope at the kiosk.  It should be interest!

So that’s the way it is, on this Friday the 28th day of Sept. 2018.

Capt. Tom…. Sweating it out with the rest of the crew.