ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/18/10
By Tom Evans
Yo… Well, the rains came last night and went away this morning.  When I got down to the Cap this morning it was cloudy and gray, but by 11am it had cleared off and it turned into a beautiful day.  Supposedly we have a few days of good weather ahead of us.

 

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

ZM:  Yesterday, the guys stopped climbing in mid afternoon, after doing half a pitch and then ledged up for the rain.  They looked to be in a good spot.  When I arrived at 9am they were not climbing but still ledged up.  Around noon, as the weather cleared wonderfully, they sent Jeremy out to finish the lead from yesterday.  They should have started much sooner as, although it was cloudy all morning, it was not raining.  As a result it looks like they won’t get off this evening but tomorrow morning sometime.  No big deal really.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Jeremy goes back to work on the unfinished pitch from yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremy leading higher in the long corners.

Iron Son:  The guys cars were gone when I arrived this morning and I figure they made it off last evening.

VA/Trip:  Kirk and Zack looked a little too comfortable this morning, lounging around in their ledges and I figured they had bailing on their minds.  When I got back later in the day, they were indeed bailing.  I later learned that Zack had a really bad bout with lower digestive tract sickness and was unable to even consider continuing.  Too bad as they were doing well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The lads looking a little too relaxed this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAIL OF THE DAY!

Shield:  Mark was out on lead this morning when I arrived and they are on Chickenhead Ledge by now.  They will most likely fix higher later in the day and be off tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John clearing the belay after sending the bags out.

Aquarian:  Pete was out on lead by noon, kind of the usual deal for him and this team is continuing to move right along.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pete leading out while Kate deals.

A few scenic shots for you ….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cook's Meadow, last evening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yosemite Point Buttress, high above, in the Mist.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Bank near the Pohono Bridge, shot this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Side Drive, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bad weather had cleared off ElCap by late morning, as this shot shows.

In other news:  The Captain is pretty empty as the remaining teams climb off today or tomorrow, excepting Pete and Kate.  I have contracted the Valley Plague and am pretty sick at the moment… so I need to get some more rest… that’s it from the Ditch.

So that’s the way it is, on ElCap, for this Monday, the 18th day of October, 2010.
Out of here, to bed…
Tom