ElCap Report 10/15/2014

ElCap Report 10/15/14

By Tom Evans

Yo…Cooler weather and cloudy skies were the order of the day, save for a stretch of sunny hours around noon.  The action continues on the hill, with a lot of climbers on the Salathe.  The Nose is presently empty of climbers as a couple of teams went to Sickle and then down fixed lines.

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

1)  PSD:  The crew on this route was under the Devil’s Brow as I departed.  Here we see Erik leading on the first part of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Surgeon General:  Marek lead another pitch today and seems to be motoring along.  I have seen no falls or apparent difficulties for him thus far.  Here he is nearing the end of the 5th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Zodiac:  Erik and partner Andre zipped up the lower half of the route passing several parties.  Here Erik is leading the free part of the 4th pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The solo, Zach, was about to start the Nipple pitch as I departed.

Lower a team of three, Jerry, Phill, and Wil,l actually fixed 4 yesterday and were on the route this afternoon.

Lower yet another solo, Sean, a Brit, hauled kit to the top of the third.

4)  Tangerine Trip:  Neal is on the bolt ladders, as this pic from this afternoon shows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Jim Beyer seems to have gotten all the use he needed from Highway to Hell, and is now exploring the area next to the EC Tree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Jeremy and Paul should have topped out by now as they were seen on the last pitch as I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Jon and Skot are show here on the last pitch of Mescalito today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Native Son:  Adam and Jordan should be getting off late this afternoon and Jordan is seen here leading the Golden Nipple pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  A team of two, with photographer in tow, came in from the top and worked the Great Roof this afternoon, as part of their plan to free the Nose in the near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muir:  There are actually three parties on the route at the moment.

10)  Here we see Alice Ng finishing the third pitch above the Grey Bands.  She is climbing with Mark Hudon who finished the “slab” pitch as I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Higher Jean got the call to lead the first pitch of the upper dihedral, passing the roof Mason Robison fell from in 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower Madaleine Sorkin worked the big corner above the Grey Ledges bivy, while supported by Eli Nissan.  She is working on freeing the Premuir.

 

12)  The Salathe was loaded with all kinds of climbers including some hoping to send Freerider.  Here the congregation is singing a few old hymns to keep warm this morning in the alcove.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  A couple other groups climbed from the Hollow Flake, headed toward the Spire.  Here, the Armstrong brothers are climbing the pitch to the start of the Ear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did see a team low on Lurking Fear in the morning.

In other news:  Nothing much to report, other than climbing, at the moment.

So that’s the way it is, for this Wednesday, the 15th day of October, 2014.

Later, Capt. Tom

 

 

Thank you

Thank you so much for your daily reports and the great pictures of Jeremy and Paul!

Jeremy's mom

Marek is cruising up Surgeon General!

Go Marek, go! Always great pics Tom. Thanks for the continued reports.

Doug

NA Wall

Great reports as always Tom. Jim Beyers is up there? Time warp. Son John and his partner David are heading up the NA Wall tomorrow (Thursday). I'm tied up till Saturday when I'll come check on them. Looking forward to getting the Report in the meantime! I tried to school them on appropriate clothing, but they are just kids. Who knows what they will be wearing.

see you on the weekend, Mike