ElCap Reports

Ok computer rodents... it is time again for The Bridge Rat to report on the happenings as seen from the most famous structure in all of the universe... Nice day today.. a little warm still... weather reports indicate that it will be 76 or 93 tomorrow... wish they would get together sometime and find the real deal. Nice at the bridge with a lot of monkeys and some hiking Tourons passing by. So settle down varmints, kick the dog out of your chair, tell the old lady to stuff a sock in it.. tie in and hold on... brought to you today on the back deck of the road stripe painter that worked on the bridge deck today...

Today’s ElCap report.

Zodiac: The team of three was finishing the mark of Zorro pitch when I arrived and seemed to be smooth and efficient... a French team I hear.. smooth and efficient?? Anyway they should make peanut ledge tonight. Steve's ropes still hanging from 6.

Lost in America: The Belgian team continues to knock off the pitches in a calm, controlled manner. About half way up now.

Trip: The team of two in the nice red shirts crossed the slab on 7 and were entering the corner when I departed around 4.

NA Wall: Seems as though I have missed the guys on the lower part of the route... is that possible? Yes!! Anyway I caught them on the traverse to the black dihedral.. they are moving smoothly... a team of two.

Lower down a 5 person mixed team is hauling junk to the route and kindly left 4 days of food in a bag at the base as a dinner present for old #46. She was thrilled and ate it all!! Don't we know not to do that?

PO Wall: The team moved off the Island in the sky and was moving to the highbrow bivy when I left... they are way up there and only have thoughts of the top I imagine!

New Dawn: Well, guys, this is going to hurt, but.... the team Holly and Lorna are rolling up the pitches in great style and by my humble estimation are the best moving team on the rock at this time. In case you don't know what that means... these Chicks are kicking the butts of all the other teams on the rock... women... yes women... the best on the rock... Oh my god....

Lower down the orange shirted solo is moving right along and arrived at ECT late in the day... not sure just where he is going from there but we will soon see.

Nose: What a mess up there. Saw a team climb to the top of the boot today so I got ready to shoot the swing when they bailed from there... what was that? Anyway they came down through other teams going upward to replace them. They were last seen on Dolt tower and are a French team I hear. Plus I think they swept up a hitch hiker bailer along the way too.. something you don’t see very often. The guy came out of a party of three that were going up at the time... got me! There were a few teams higher too passing the great roof in the afternoon and out of sight above camp 5. There were three of these teams moving right along in their own little train of teams.

Lower down a team of three with 4,200 pounds of baggage were spotted at the top of Sickle ledge in the morning and were last seen two pitches into the Legs and will stretch it to make Dolt but not to worry, as they have a full contingent of PLs with them. I hear they are an anchor testing unit from the American Alpine Club try to stress all the anchors to the fullest on the route. Look out below.

The Kentucky climbing team gave up the ghost today and bailed from Sickle. Reports had them trying to bail at the 15 foot level of the first pitch but a quick cell phone call to the groups illustrious leader, who was hauling water to be base, was greeted with horror at the prospect and the minions were ordered onward to the end of the pitch, as no one in recorded history had ever bailed from such a low level on the route. As a result the leader himself, a trusted member of my personal posse, took charge and dragged the others, crying for mommy, up to Sickle, where it is generally agreed that bailing from is acceptable. Oh the humanity!!

Others on the route low... who knows?....

Salathe: Did see some guys climb to the ear and above, vanishing in the afternoon shadows of the Alcove. Lower down the team of John and Ron, two Brits who have been hanging at the bridge and helping us out around here, were seen going above Hollow flake in the afternoon sun... they were struggling with the bags in the heat and are going to have a rough time making it past the Ear today... God save the Queen!

Behind the Brits are several teams in the early staging phase and we will soon see who steps it out to the Hollow Flake pendulum in the morning.

Out West: I didn't get out there and my spies were shaded up here at the bridge so... I don't know... but my red sunburned face should be enough to warn you Westsider’s that it is not nice over there and you can expect debilitating temps for the foreseeable future... water up and go light on the dark clothing. Take a cell phone too...

In other news. The road will be ready Friday at noon for all traffic, or so says my mole, Eric, in the construction company. This weekend should be a horror show however as all the papers are touting a visit to the Valley to see the falls now, rather than later, as the snow pack is not great and the temps up there are high. Lots of Bridge rats hanging around today watching the action on the Big Stone... yeah.. mostly watching the females kicking butt!! Summer time is about here and the temps are here early, so plan on mucho H2O and cool clothing.

Rumor has it that the dreaded PTPP is about to appear from the temporal either at any moment... brace yourself for the spray! Also Ottawa Doug will be here soon too. He is an older solo climber who is the current record holder for oldest solo of the Cap. He is a really nice guy and we look forward to his return to the Bridge. Double E was around today and has something up his sleeve. Lastly I want to ask you Noobes to give it a rest on the Cap. Pay your dues on some grade 5's and then come on up to the big Daddy... it will make your success more assured and your suffering minimal... really... I'm serious.

So that's the way it is on this the 20th of May 2008 in the Valley of the Yosemite.

I'm out of here.... TME