ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/15/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… The great days continue one after another, here in the Ditch.  Perfect Fall weather seems to have set in for some time.  Good activity on the cliff too.  These next two weeks will determine what kind of a season we have and thus far things are looking exceptional.  So come on out and enjoy some of the greatest granite in the world, in one of the world’s most beautiful settings. 

Don’t forget the 50^th anniversaryof the first ascent of the Dihedral Wall, to be celebrated this Saturday

 night, at 6:30pm, in the East Auditorium, here in Yosemite.  Ed Cooper will be giving a show about the ascent and other things too. 

So be sure to come on out to this YCA sponsored event.

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

 

Zodiac:  The mixed team that was looking good, yesterday, did a 180 and bailed this morning.   I would give them bail of the day but I have too many other photos to post! 

Shortest Straw:  Matt Lambert has been hauling kit for a couple of days and blasted today.  He climbed the “Journey Through the Brain” pitch late in the day.  Matt is a solid climber, with many EC routes to his credit, and this route is just right for this solo climb.

1)  Matt cleaning the 2^nd on the Straw this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)   ZM:  Alex and Ryan are on the route now.  The shot is of Alex leading the 3rd pitch this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Native Son:  Marek was up and at it this morning for the long traverse to the start of the sensational “Wing” pitch.  He is not speedy but is relentless.

3)  Regan on the traverse pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pacific Ocean Wall:  Dave Griffith, wife Marta, and a friend fixed a few over the past few days.  Marta was out in the lead on the 4th this afternoon as I departed.  She is as solid a climber as her husband… and I must say … a lot better looking!  They are planning on blasting soon.

Mescalito:  Mescalito is one of the most popular climbs on the Rock at this moment.   Max and Pete are still in the lead but playing tag with Paul and Oli, who arrive at the belay just as they are leaving on most pitches.  Both of these teams made the Bismarck this afternoon and I assume will go or fix higher.

Lower down, transplants from the NA Wall, Belgians, Stanley and Sanne, are moving along well and climbed to the Molar traverse as I was leaving.

4)  Pitch to the Molar traverse, from out West.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lowest down, the team of Tommy and Kevin are on the route and were climbing toward Stork ledge this afternoon.

The Project:  Tommy and Jonathan are installed on Wino Tower and we await their efforts.

The Nose:  A speedy team of three climbed rapidly up to the Great Roof this afternoon.  They went via the Jardine.

5)  Climbing above the Jardine Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down several parties were jammed in the Legs as a team of three, stout looking climbers, were not so stout with their rope management and crawled along with other parties behind them.  A team bailed from Dolt this morning.

Higher up, the women’s team, and the 3 guys who climbed behind them yesterday, all camped at C5 last night.  The ladies took off in the lead, this morning, as the guys lounged around enjoying the view.

6)  Hanging at Camp 5 this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much higher, Hans and partner topped out this morning after a bivy somewhere in the upper reaches of the route. 

 

Muir:  The French team crossed over to the Shield on the connecting ledge and were last seen a couple pitches from the top.

7)  Getting ready for the traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the UK team did some climbing very early, in deep shade and ledged up for the rest of the time I was shooting.

8)  Hazel, getting lowered to the camp this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much lower down, the team of Doug and Luke hauled kit to the 6^th pitch as a way to avoid grinding their kit into dust by

hauling it up the lower part of the route.

9)  Luke and Doug, getting ready for the big haul.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  Several parties are presently on this route.  Fortunately they seem pretty well spaced and so there have been no tangles of which I am aware.

Dihedral Wall:  Drew, Jack, and Matt are on the route now.  I saw them climb to the start of the Black Arch pitch this afternoon.

10)  Belay at the start of the Back Arch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Never Never Land:  Jim and Cam climbed the slab to Timbuktu today.  So far they are looking good and should be in for some good climbing now that the slab is behind them.

I don’t know what is going on further out West.

11)  Scenic Shots of The Day!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Very quiet at the Bridge these days, as most climbers are out climbing.  Tourons are scarce due to the ElCap Shuttle stopping until Spring.

So that’s the way it is, for this Monday, the 15^th day of October, 2012.

Later, Tom