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Submitted by Tom Evans on Fri, 05/20/2011 - 00:53
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ElCap Report 5/19/11
By Tom Evans
Yo… Ok, now we have a climbing season!! The weather cooperated today with clear skies and warmer temperatures. As a result the rock saw many teams up and at it. Some dark clouds scudded in later in the day, so we will see what happens. The entire upper wall shines with water and the cracks abound with it… suffering up high will be the order of the day!
So, kick the tires and light the fires because we are heading up on the Big Stone to see what is to be seen. Here we go!!
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Wed, 05/18/2011 - 21:56
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ElCap Report 5/18/11
By Tom Evans
Yo…. The weather continues to confound. Enough!! Enough I say!! Snowed last night and dawn broke cold and beautiful. I was out early taking some shots… always wanted to visit in the winter and now I know what that season looks like. The climbers are here and impatient to be climbing. We are to have two nice days starting tomorrow but the weekend will bring more of the same shitty weather. Late next week looks like a more solid forecast. The SE Face is the only alternative for those wanting to get on the Captain, and it looks like the women have it to themselves. There is a rumor that a team is to start on Zenyatta Mondotta tomorrow… yep and they are men too!! A team of women is eyeing Zodiac for later in the week.
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Tue, 05/17/2011 - 18:56
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ElCap Report 5/17/11
By Tom Evans
Yo.. Man oh man what a soggy mess the Valley is and will be for the foreseeable future. My advice…. stay away, far away from here until the weather settles down. Rained last night and the clouds are hanging thick on the cliffs. I went down to ElCap earlier and couldn’t even see it! So the report will be pretty thin today with mostly scenic stuff to fill it out.
Update: I was just down at the Captain and caught some glimpses through the clouds. I saw Holly having a bite to eat at the ledge on top of the 10th pitch. She is climbing, as her portaledge is cased and she is on dry rock. Looking good Holly! The bad news is that it continues to rain, rain and rain. Thus far just a light but steady drizzle.
Today’s ElCap Report…written just for you…unique in all the world!
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Mon, 05/16/2011 - 23:56
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ElCap Report 5/16/11
By Tom Evans
Yo… No precipitation today, but a stout west wind and low temperatures, made for a cold day at the Bridge. A heavy rain started around 8pm so more bad weather. There is little action on the Captain, save the two solo women on the SE Face. One has requested not to be reported on so, as always, I will honor her request. The weather is the story here and will be improving later in the week. Spring no longer has a lock on warm, beautiful days here, so be prepared for anything if you are heading up on the hill. Due to the lack of news I will include a few shots from the last few days.
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Sun, 05/15/2011 - 22:12
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ElCap Report 5/15/11
By Tom Evans
Yo.. Ok, I know you’ve been starving, all winter, for the start of the Spring, ElCap Report. Well, salvation is at your finger tips!! Hope you have had good winter and are ready, once again, to go big on the Cap! We will be watching them all… the flailers and bailers , pukes and punters, the big guns and senders, famous or other wise. The season is already well under way, although the weather is sketchy at the moment. It snowed late last night and flurries are continuing as I type these lines.
Today’s ElCap Report… written just for you…unique in all the world!
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Thu, 10/28/2010 - 02:20
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ElCap Report 10/27/10
By Tom Evans
Yo… Hate to tell you but… today is the last day of the Report for the year 2010. You knew it was coming…I warned you… so the day has come. It has been a strange climbing season this Fall. The weather was awful, but we saw some great climbing and some not so great climbing, but mostly we saw people up there battling it out on the greatest climbing rock in the world. They were stretching their limits and many reached their goals. We had a new free route climbed on the Cap…read about it below. We had people from all over the world come to test their skills… they came from England, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, South Africa, Czech Republic, Finland, Poland, Italy, Germany, Austria, and other countries too. A Swiss team of brothers, Simon and Samuel Anthamatten were easily the team of the season, for all the ElCap climbs they did, and in the best of style too.
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Wed, 10/27/2010 - 02:14
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ElCap Report 10/26/10
By Tom Evans
Yo… Today was quite nice and the action on the Cap reflected the improved weather. Most of the action was on the Nose with some on the Salathe, Mescalito, and the Prophet. The season is definitely winding down, amidst the burgeoning waterfalls and colorful fall leaves. A lot of climbers are departing at the end of the week, leaving the place to the locals, who are breathing a sigh of relief, that they have their Valley back! See shots of Leo Houlding and Jason Pickles climbing the crux pitch below.
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Mon, 10/25/2010 - 15:40
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ElCap Report 10/25/10
By Tom Evans
Yo...It poured rain for most of last night, after raining heavily all yesterday. The river is way, way up and the campgounds are hosed. The Water Falls are going like it was spring, instead of Fall. I went down to the Cap late this morning, and also was out and about, to shoot some scenic pics. Today was really beautiful as the clouds slowly melted away, in the bright, warm sun.
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Sun, 10/24/2010 - 16:09
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ElCap Report 10/24/10
By Tom Evans
Yo...It continues to pour rain in vast amounts, you can't even see the cliffs due to the low clouds. It has rained all night and day (1pm) and Yosemite Falls is really busting now... Sweet! I see it clarifying now... yes, I see it clearly now.... Mt. Room Bar... hot chocolate and football... all day long. Attended a good talk, last night, by Tom Frost, Royal Robbins, Joe Fitchen commerating the 2nd ascent of the Nose. Interesting stories at this well attended event.
Update: It is now 5pm and the downpour continures unabated... Yos falls is going crazy!! This is a flood situation now and not supposed to let up until tomorrow... it is getting bad here... more later...
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Submitted by Tom Evans on Sat, 10/23/2010 - 19:40
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ElCap Report 10/23/10
By Tom Evans
Yo… I heard it late in the night, the pitter patter of rain on the fly of my palatial Walmart tent. I knew what it meant for those hardy souls, high up on the Captain, pushing their projects late into the season. Doom. I went down for a look after breakfast. The Cap was awash in thick clouds, drifting silently across the great precipice. I waited a long time but never got a glimpse of Leo and Jason, up there somewhere below the Devil’s Brow, waiting for a shot at the crux pitch that will, unfortunately, not come today. Bullwinkle talked to Leo last night and they have several days of food and water at the bivy…but Leo has a flight on Thursday and the weather is shit until Tuesday afternoon. Now there’s even talk of snow on the Valley floor in the next day or so… doom for the climbing season too. The rest of the Great Rock is deserted and climbers are fleeing the scene like rats leaving the Titanic. I will be around for another week most likely but don’t think there will be much to report…. But I’m not calling it a season just yet, as there are still some high powered teams here with plans to fulfill. There has been a steady rain all day and it continues, as I peer out from my corner table at the Mountain Room Bar. Waitress!... another diet cola and some more chips please!
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