Home

ElCap Report 9/30/13

Submitted by Tom Evans on Tue, 10/01/2013 - 04:17

ElCap Report 9/30/13

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Today was perfect for climbing on ElCap, with 80% cloud cover in the morning, dropping to 50% later in the day.  In the forecast are eight sunny days, of 70 degree weather.  Lots of action on the Cap with a record number of shots on this report.  So check your knots, clip into the first piece, and get out on the lead with Capt. Tom watching every move.

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

Zodiac:  Andrew Barnes climbed the 5th /6th to the start of the Black Tower pitch while I was shooting today.

1)  Andrew, on the 5th pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up, Mike Ierien, climbed the Flying Buttress pitch to the start of the Nipple. 

2)  Here he is in a long shot from the south west.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Amanda and Amber showed up in early afternoon and hauled kit to the 2nd and later led out on the 3rd, as seen here.  Also, a deuce team, did the first and are in the shot too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zenyatta Mondatta:  Adam Tischler, teamed with, Bill Leventhal, fixed the first this afternoon.

4)  Kaos:  Marek Raganowicz, aka, Regan, lead the first on this rarely done route.  Here he is near the end of the 1st.  Interesting rock!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangerine Trip:  The solo jugged and hauled to start of the 5th and hauled kit.  Then he rapped to the deck.

5)  Steve Gerberding and a couple of buddies are on the route.  Here is a shot of Steve at the top of the 2nd and that damned white shirt he likes to wear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Atlantic Ocean:  Mark and Max are moving right along on this seldom done route.  Here is a shot from MPB shot early in the day.  Max is on the sharp end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  NA Wall:  The “Dark Dudes” are sporting a blue shirt and one of them is Alaskan climber Ben Erdmann.  I recall he wore the same dark stuff and I gave him a lot of crap about it then.  Some people never learn!  Here they are in the Black Dihedral this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sea of Dreams, turned into, The Sea of Tears, as the crew bailed from the start of the “Hook or Book” pitch.  Not so fast, breath of a thousand swine!  They went down “Easy Street” and onto the NA Wall where they proceeded upward.

8)  Contemplating the Hook or Book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Climbing on the NA.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The bowels of the Captain groaned with another load of shitty climbers.  It has been that way for days!  The bail rate is in the 85% range now… not good, not good at all.  However today was another day and hope does spring eternal, they say.  This crop seems to have a punchers chance of at least reaching ElCap Tower. 

10)  A hopeful crew, in the Stovelegs this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A champion of the sport, towing a jugger, blew by everyone so fast they just wondered aloud…”who the hell was that guy?”  I wondered too.  The guy was flawless and seemed to scorn protection.

11)  Here we see the partner lowering off the Boot…not bad Bro.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Muir:  Matt is on Grey Ledges, as seen here later in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Horse Play:  I think, Pete made the Truck Stop late in the day.  Here he is a short pitch below it around 3pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Lurking Fear:  Solo Dave finished the high traverse and was back at the belay when I got this shot.  The man is going up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the team of two is composed of long time guide and great guy, Clark Jacobs, and his partner, Dave.  Clark has had a long struggle with cancer and so far has come out on top.  We all wish him the very best of luck in the future.  You will not meet a finer climber or better man than Clark Jacobs.

 

15)  The Sugar Maple, across from the Chapel, has started turning now and is always worth a visit.  Here are two shots from late afternoon today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

 

 

 

 

In other news:  If the govt. does stay shut down then all of us will have to leave the park and there will be no report.

So that’s the way it is, for this Monday, the last day of September, 2013.

Later, Tom

#1Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 10/01/2013 - 15:15.

Bummer.

Thanks for all your work thus far Tom. Great shots this fall. You shot me and my buddies on the nose in June. The Love Dad team. Hoping you'll get to be around in later October. Getting married in 10 days and then backpacking from mammoth to the valley. There will be beverage replenishment aplenty.