El Cap Report 05/29/08

ElCap Report 5/29/08

By Tom Evans

Yo... yeah that's right... the weather has broken for the better and they say for 10 days no less. So as you can imagine there was a rush to the base of the Cap and fistfights broke out on Sickle Ledge for position in line. Beautiful, cool, sunny weather with a nice breeze to sway the tall pines. Had a good time at the bridge today as some of the regulars hung out and a few "new" regulars too. Today’s report is brought to you by the cute young hottie who asked if she could look through my camera after I had told some other Tourons it was off limits.... "of course my dear, what would you like to see?" I responded! So kick it back, knock it down, hang it out because here is the news of the day straight from the Captain himself..

Today’s ElCap report...

Zodiac: T squared, Dave and Steve got up to the third today with Steve looking good jugging the lines fixed by the others. Here is a shot of Steve jugging on the 2nd pitch.

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/ez108/Z03730.jpg[/IMG]

Lost in America: The lads are making good progress and are putting the pitches behind them. The were bundled up so the wind and cooler weather must have affected them. Here is a shot of the team in the middle section of the route.

[IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll27/elcap-pics/LA03777.jpg[/IMG]

Trip: The three man Italian team got the 5th traversing pitch done and the 3rd guy up and an airy jug up the haul line. As I left they were working on the next pitch. Their women came by today to see the progress and were really nice. They had one of the climbers sons in tow... sweet! This is a shot of the third man jugging the haul line, with the "Black Cat" looking on.

[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e69/ez108/T03807.jpg[/IMG]

El Nino: Dave Turner spotted these guys with his high powered blood shot eyes and I watched them climb rapidly up to the vicinity of Big Sur ledge as I left.

North American Wall: The two man team from yesterday was way up on the traverse to the Black Dihedral when I arrived so I would guess they are really super fast or that they may have climbed in a push to there. They are sporting a cased portaledge however. Good going guys.

Lower Down it was reported by my man Matt, while on his way over to Zodiac with a load, that there was a 4 man team milling around the first pitch this afternoon... they were not speaking English.

SSPO: A large crowd gathered this afternoon to hiss and boo at Piton Pete as he flailed away at the rubber band man pendulum. Just kidding Pete! They were there to watch him give it a go, drawn by the radio contact that the fact that we were watching through the scope. Pete did have a tough time of it however but in the end used a loop of rope to lasso the flake necessary to stick the pendulum. He had some bright colors on so I think I got some memorable shots of the event. Here is Pete leading the rubber band man pitch.

[IMG]http://i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll27/elcap-pics/SSPO03753.jpg[/IMG]

Mescalito: Lambone and Shipman climbed to the top of 5 today and were hauling under the scrutiny of the "Stork" when I left.

New Dawn to Tribal. The lads, Australian I think, are on the route and heading up the corner to Lay Lady and may make it by dark. They had done SSPO a couple of weeks ago. Should be fun to watch higher up...

Nose: Yes the rush was on and a speedy team of two terribly dressed climbers made the sprint to Dolt far outdistancing the guys below. They were close to ECT when I left.

Lower down another team of two was a few pitches behind and will at least make Dolt tonight.

Lower down yet a team of three was slogging into the Stovelegs and will stay in the Legs if they don't bail first.

Even Lower down a mass of humanity was spotted on Sickle ledge spending a lot of time just looking up... what will happen to them is anyone’s guess!

Salathe: Did see a team of three to the Hollow flake and proceed up to the Ear as I was leaving. Higher up a team in nice red colors was seen retreating from Sous Le Toit ledge... might be Lucho and Chilli coming in from the top to work FR.

In other news: Mt. Everest Day, RIP Ed and Tensing. I did hang in the Cafe this morning with the usual cafe rats and John from the Salathe rescue who got to see the pile of shots I got of his rescue. Rob was off up the East ledges to retrieve the single bag that was left on top. Not much fun that! Nicki went off to do the Queen of Spades on the Dome and KFC hiked to the top of the Dome for some exercise, as he was not working today. Big Gene hung at the bridge with Matt and I for most of the day watching the progress of the T squared team. All in all it was a nice day to be in the valley. There are other teams on the wall and all are making good progress. There was a team that came by after being hosed off Lurking Fear in the rain yesterday... What a difference a few days makes! Nice weather ahead so you pukes who have been stalling with the weather as an excuse had better man up and get going or face the ruthless slander of the Bridge rats! That's the way it is on this the 29th day of May 2008.

Be strong, so long, I'm gone... ElCap-pics