ElCap Report 9/29/11

ElCap Report 9/29/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Cloudy and humid on the Cap today… made for sweaty conditions.  Rumors abound of coming bad weather.  I don’t know what to think, and try to be optimistic.  The Bigs are getting emptier by the hour.  Put the dog in the basement, the kids outside, your spouse in the kitchen, and come with me, up high on the Captain for some adventure climbing.
Today’s ElCap Report….written just for you…unique in all the world!

Zodiac:  Dan Mottinger moved into the White Circle this morning and is making solid progress.  He will bivy at the end of the Nipple I think.
1)  Dan heading into the WC this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continental Drift:  The crew spent the night on the top, I hear from passer-bys late in the night.  They went back down this morning to haul the remainder of their kit off the face.
2)  Bags packed and ready to haul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meacalito:  Regan climbed past the Molar Traverse this morning and was about to start the “really fun” 5.9 grovel pitch above, as I departed.
3)  Regan at the end of the Molar Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TC Project:  The man of the hour and hopefully the season, made his presence known on the Cap today by rapping down the Dawn Wall with supplies for the siege.  I didn’t see Kevin and haven’t heard if he is in the Valley or not.
4)  Tommy and the kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  New Dawn:  Alex and Ryan couldn’t resist the allure of the ledge, two from the top and spent the night there.  They climbed the last two today and topped out a little after 1pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Two, two person teams topped out in early afternoon.  Another two teams passed Camp 5 and were headed to the top later in the day.
Lower down a team entered the Stovelegs and proceeded to Dolt by the time I departed.
6)  Nice free climbing in the Legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe/Freerider:  The multitudes are finishing the routes over there.
Mayan and Sean made their bid to free the headwall this morning.  When I got there Mayan was at the pod belay at the top of the Headwall pitches.  Sean climbed up to there but spent a lot of time dogging it as he has not practiced the headwall before, I believe.  Teams from Freerider could be seen on the skyline all morning and were moving like sheep going to high pasture.  The South Africans all got off by mid afternoon and teams from yesterday were taking their places on the Block.
7)  Sean dogging the Headwall while Freeriders watched from the edge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Mayan leading off the belay.  She used some aid slings so I figure the send wasn’t sent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  The South African herd moving toward higher ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excalibur:  I didn’t see much of them today, but a team over on the Dihedral says they were throwing trash and solid human waste off the cliff and that it is piling up at the base.  Have we not covered all this stuff a million times before?  You take it up… you take it out!  That’s the law in these here parts, mates!!  They are being watched for possible legal action.

9)  Feature of the Day!  The first to identify it gets a free, really cheap, nasty smelling and worse tasting cigar, at the Bridge!  Go for it!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The weather forecast seems to be the hot topic these days.  Some predict rain, some predict sun, some just don’t know.  
We did have several teams head off to the cliff today, for hauling and fixing.  Like I said above, the Big Two are about to be very vacant so move fast to beat the mob.

Also, today I learned that the Great Italian climber, Walter Bonatti passed away earlier this month.  When I was a young man and coming up in the climbing world, he was a real inspiration to me and my climbing partner, Dan Vadney.  He and Herman Buhl were our idols.  We read everything about them we could get our hands on.  Walter Bonatti will be an inspiration as long as climbers climb.

So that’s the way it is, for this Thursday, the 29th day of September, 2011.
Today’s sage advice from Bobby D.
“Don’t follow leaders, and watch the parking meters!”
Bye for now,
Capt. Tom

 

Truck Stop Ledge

Keep the seegar. : )
 
Yo...you missed it Bro, so I will keep the cigar!  Nevada Flake!

Dan Vadney

Is the Dan Vadney partner mentioned the same Dan Vadney that accompanied me and a hodge podge of 18 year olds up the East and West Spanish Peaks when we attended the College of Emporia in Kansas back in 1963-4? Andy Lagin

 

Sure is!!!  Tom