ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/29/12
By Tom Evans

Yo… Continued warm, dry weather is forecast for several more days.  Sure not like any late September I have seen in several years.  The Facelift is wrapping up work today and tomorrow andd the big party tonight should be a good time for all.  Some new records were set in the past two days … read about them below.

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

Zodiac:  A team of two climbed off the deck today headed as high up as they can get by night.  Black Tower ledge perhaps.  
1)  Hauling kit to the top of the 4th this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, Alice Ng reports that someone left the heater on and thus she will hold off a couple of days before blasting on her solo attempt.

Trip:  Oli Warlow finished the climb early today, and  bivied at the end of the corner system with the large pine tree, a pitch from the top, last night..

Andy Kirkpatrick and his daughter, Ella, are about to start the route tomorrow under the auspices of the BBC, and are supported by a cast of thousands!  The fun starts at 5:30am.  I will not be there for the champagne breakfast!

New Dawn/Genesis/New Dawn:  Pete and Jon spent the night below the Harding Roof, high on the route.  Jon lead over the roof to the rather crumbly corner above and promptly wheeled off for a 30 footer!  Splendid!  They will be on the ledge 2 from the top tonight and be off tomorrow.
2)  The bivy many climbers would like to have, high on the WEML.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Dawn:  Tom and Kenny are moving along well enough and climbed to and past Wino Tower this morning.
3)  Tom leading to Wino Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Kenny is on the ledge belaying just right of the, never visited, Nevada Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Kenny leading the wide section of the pitch off Wino.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose:  The Drab Brother’s, from Germany I think, are continuing up the route, climbing off ECT and headed for the Grey Band above.  They were kind of slow after the King Swing but that is to be expected, considering their wardrobe!
6)  Drab Brother’s working the traverse from the Boot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Lower down, a team of three appeared in the Stovelegs late in the morning.  Sharp dressers, these three, guaranteed to make a go of it with those shirts on!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Shield:  I did see the Shield bound team climb above Mammoth Terrace this morning.  Should be a good show tomorrow and for the next several days.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  There was a party in the vicinity of the Block this morning but I never got a good angle on them for shots.

9)  BAIL OF THE DAY!!  A well dressed team climbed past the Seagull on Mescalito  today but suddenly thought better of the climb and promptly bailed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Blast from the Past:  Tom Evans and George Homer on top of the NW Face of Half Dome, in May of 1970.  Not sure if I have used this one this season.  Notice my old Army duffel for a haul bag and the home made harnesses... Ah.. the good old days... maybe not quite so good after all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Facelift shows, last night, were a lot of fun with tons of humor and cool shots of climbing and farcing.
Yesterday, Sean Leary and Mayan Smith-Gobat climbed the Nose in 4:29 to set the mixed team record for the route.
Today Alex Honnold and Sean Leary climbed the West Face of the Tower in 1:16 to set the record on this route.  Alex is working on freeing the route from the ledge up… Really??  
Nice at the Bridge today, with more climbers than Tourons for a change.

So that’s the way it is, for this Saturday, the 29th day of September, 2012.
Later,
Tom