ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/21/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… OMG what a day!!  The climbing conditions were really nice today and even a little on the warm side.  The fall colors are so good too… I have cajoled you and threatened you and pleaded with you… so I will give up on it now.  This is the time and this is the place… enough said!  The “Ask a Climber” program is over for the year so I have some flexibility in where and when I shoot now.  Nice!  I was getting pretty weary of the endless procession of people with the same 10 questions!  It was a great success as my fellow talking heads and I spread the real dope to zillions of interested spectators who were in dire need of rising from the valley of ignorance onto the hill of knowledge!

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

Fall shot of the Day:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zodiac:  The German “line jumpers” from yesterday fixed at 4 and went down to come back in a couple of days when the teams above have gained some altitude.  I talked to Marcele, from that team and it will be a team of three with one being a woman.  Lots of women on Zodiac these days.
Graham and Chile climbed well today and I last saw them doing the Nipple pitch around 3:30. 
Chile in the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nipple Pitch… Graham on the sharp end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behind them is the team of Amanda, Marsha, and walk on, Adam.  They were mired in the bivy clusterfuck until about 10:30am when Amanda was able to wrest herself free from the tangle and lead to the start of the Black Tower.  She then lead that infamous pitch without much difficulty.  They will probably stay at the top of that pitch as it is more convenient than going into the White Circle and dealing with a three person hanging bivy.
Amanda on the Black Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did see a couple of climbers climb the first pitch in full black outfits.  You know I think I am just going to ignore these guys and not waste my time trying to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

LA:  I got to watch Scott climb the so called “mandatory” 5.10 free pitch.  It was interesting and I can tell you that even from my distant site I could see the fear in the mans eyes!!  He did some creative hooking and some Holy Shit free climbing and got it done!!  I was really psyched to see him get it!!
He lead the next pitch, which also had some free climbing on it, with ease. 
The man is on the way to the top!!
Scott Deputy in the business on the Mandatory Free pitch.  Lots of slack in that lead line Son!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  Althea is continuing to knock the pitches down and is only one away from the Bolt ladders now.  She seems to be in the Zone, up there.  Sweet!

Below a solo in a nice orange shirt and helmet, Kevin Prince, blazed up the route today, right off the ground.  I talked to him a bit yesterday but never expected him to be so competent and fast.  He is only carrying a small bag on the climb.  No haul bag and no ledge.  He was climbing great all day long.  I left him starting the 9th pitch at 3:30pm!  This lad is the shit!  I hope he leaves me something to shoot tomorrow and doesn’t just blitz the whole route in a push!
Gymnastic cleaning on the 3rd pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position is everything.  He forgot the rack and had to go back for it!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NA:  I did catch a glimpse of Kevin and Cooney on the third pitch this afternoon.  I really can’t see much of the lower part of the route and had to peer through some heavy timber to see them at all.  Solid team here… expect a well managed ascent.

Mescalito:  The Tommy show continues on the blankest looking part of the face.  He and two others, Kevin Jorgeson and what appeared to be a “girl friend,” were on Wino Tower this morning and later he went down on a top rope and tried to work out some moves on a couple of pitches.  It looked pretty warm up there as he climbed shirtless all afternoon.  This project is just too big to imagine…. For anyone else that is.  I think they rapped off late in the afternoon. 
Top roping on ElCap....Tommy working a possible new free line on the Dawn Wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose/3D:  There is no one on the Nose… zip… nada… and to hear all the posers talking that they are having to delay departing because of the crowds!  The party that came over from the 3D yesterday climbed the GR this morning and by afternoon were headed to C5 for the night I suppose.

Muir:  I did see Chris Bevins slogging up the first several of the lower Muir today.  He was hurrying along but the wandering, shitty nature of the route didn’t allow much progress.  He has bags fixed at Mammoth and was planning on getting there this evening, Ha… fat chance!

Salathe:  The mixed team climbed to the Block today and may be going higher.  They are alone on the route.

Dihedral Wall:  Libby and Chantel were doing the 7th pitch this afternoon when I went out west.  They looked good on the route and it is nice to see an all women team on a big wall route.  All we have seen lately is Lorna and Holly over and over again…. Not that that is a bad thing!

LF:  I did get out west far enough to pick up two teams on this oft done trade route.  One was on the 4th pitch and the other on the 8th.

Feature of the Day:  Yesterdays was of course the Ear on the Salathe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news;  Absolutely deserted on the Bridge today… Nice!  Well not quite, as Ivo, DP and Stanley did a cruise through with another guy, who I don’t know.  With the Touron population at near extinction levels, it is quite nice to be able to relax and do my work without constant interruption.  Kenny, The Boss, Yager came through to take the scopes and tripods home.  He has had a horrendous murder trial as a jury member for the past 3 weeks and isn’t sure if he is coming or going these days.  I will be here about 10 more days and will be at the bridge quite often… so if you are in the area then do come on by and hang out.
So that’s the way it is for this the 21st day of October, 2009.
Remember this…. You can’t hide from the dogs!
Later Ansel