ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/12/2021

By Tom Evans

Yo… Nights have been cold and the days cool with some sun and wind.  There are some interesting routes being done as the big trades seem to be languishing in solitude with a few NIAD’s keeping it interesting. Many climbing friends have shown up and the line-up of vehicles seems to be fulling daily.  I will keep plugging along in the meadow just for you! Most reports, like this one, will be a consolidation of 2 or 3 of days of climbing.

10/12/21 8am.  BIG NEWS just in from Piton Pete who is trying to bail due to partner illness.  High winds buffeted the Captain all night and into the morning.  Pete says it is too cold and windy (70 mph) to rappel and the conditions are full on epic.  Hopefully the wind will back off as the day progresses.  Just goes to show you how important it is to be fully prepared for any circumstance. 

10/12/21 10am. It does seem like the winds have backed off this morning and the sun is out too!  Pete reports things are looking a lot more friendly now!

10/12/21 12pm I am just back from ElCap.  Much nicer down there now that afternoon has arrived.  Some teams bailed some continuing.  Breezy but nice now.

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

1)  Shortest Straw: Maria Parks and her partner ,Kristen Selin,are putting the pitches behind them in good style and at a good clip.  Here they are starting the second pitch.  As of today, they are into the White Circle and moving along well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Here Kristen is leading the “mostly bolt ladder” third pitch while Maria belays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  The women on the Straw are continuing to climb higher.  Here they are at the start of the Great White Circle yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Kaos:  Alex Abrams and Sam Stuckey started off on this route with the intention of re-establishing it through a rockfall area that looks pretty broken up. Here they are climbing just below the affected area.  They are did some bolting through this section and had to call down for more bolts from the deck.  They bailed due to a time constraint and say that all the bolting has been done and they ask that no one go on the route until they get to finish it in the next couple of weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Ned’s:  Not to be outdone by Pete’s difficult lead the day before, Kurt sent the next pitch, also a very difficult one, before calling it a day.  They are in the process of bailing as Kurt is ill and the huge winds and cold are not making matters easier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Sea of Dreams:  Mark Hudon and Scott Richards have arrived and are starting on this difficult route.  Scott led the first pitch and fixed a line so they can blast soon.  Here Mark, Skot, and a young friend are at the first belay.  Yesterday they climbed two more pitches.  They were just finished bailing when I arrived this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Tempest:  These two climbers, who remain anonymous, fixed the first pitch and bailed the next day!  Here they are at the base… thinking it over. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Disorderly Conduct:  Neil Chelton and Keiko Tanaka are moving smartly along on this, the 3^rd ascent of the route.  Here we see them on a nice ledge the route shares with Tribal Rite… notice the bottom of the Carrot in the upper left.

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Neil and Keiko climbed higher the next day arriving at the “Sweetness” pitch later in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Here is a shot of Neil leading the pitch above the Sweetness as the afternoon shade comes on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  NIAD team of Max Guillaume and Andrew Pittman had a good climb of the route and did it in a day!  Here Andrew is finishing off the King Swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Nose:  The Green Bags team, Lucia Mason and Andrew Schafer, got ahead of the usual bumblers on the Nose and are seen here heading for Dolt tower which they reached by late morning and then pushed on to ElCap Tower where they bivied.  This team is looking good and if the wind lets up should make a nice climb of the classic track.  I arrived this morning to find they had just finished the King Swing and are moving along to the Great Roof this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  High on the Nose this team is passing the great roof during some of the cloudy conditions.  I like clouds because they eliminate harsh shadows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  ElCap, from the meadow, on a crisp clear morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  Fall season brings many friends to the Valley for climbing and hanging out.  Here Mark Hudon is showing me the topo for the Sea of Dreams.  Earl Bates photo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news: 

Tom Herbert and Roger Putnam threw down a 10 hour climb of the 3D in nice conditions a couple of days back.

All the ropes and kit from the Abbott attempt on the Nose have been removed from the route in a big push by Joe and Josh.

I have managed to find some pretty good internet but not near the Lodge… I will try to get out more reports as the days go by.

So, that’s the way it is on this Tuesday, the 12^th of October, 2021.

Capt. Tom…. Getting older and colder.