ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/22/18

By Tom Evans

Yo… The weather continues to make this an exceptional season for big wall climbing.  Lots of different climbs are being done along with the Big Trades that are still overloaded on most days.  We have had a few rescues these past days, mostly helicopter driven, of varying incidents… be careful out there folks!

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

1)  The Shield continues to draw them to it… normally a windy and cold place, this team found a few hours of warm, calm conditions high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Aurora has a new team on it… Mark Hudon has come out of self-imposed retirement to team up with Skot Richards on this LA/VA start as the normal start is out of condition due to rock fall.  Turns out, according to the guide book writer, Erik Sloan, that the TRIP IS NOT OUT OF CONDITION AND THAT ROCKFALL REPORTS ARE IN ERROR.  THE TRIP IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS.  Sorry for the error on my part.  Here Skot leads the 2^nd pitch of the climb.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  The next day found Mark leading out of the Bat Cave onto the main part of the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  As you recall, Marek moved over to the NA Wall after route problems on NOCS.  Many days later he reached the Cyclops eye and stopped to take a long look at the route he didn’t get to climb… looks pretty impressive to me!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Later he was joined by Paul Gagner and Erik Eriksson who passed him the next morning.  Here both teams are seen on top of the Cyclops Eye with Paul’s face being visible in the shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Here Marek is coming back from the end of the pitch across the eye…strenuous for a solo for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Over on the “Direct Line”  Tobias Wolf is seen leading on the huge slab that covers the first half of the route.  The climbing is completely different on the second half of the route.  His partner Thomas Hering tends the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  On Lost in America, Hayden Robinson is seen here on the pitch that joins up with ZM…a hard lead that he seemed to cruise.  Nice work bro!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Well… we see some strange things on the Nose and this jumble of ropes is one of the weirdest tangles I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Pete Whitaker climbed two NIADs in 3 days and is seen here free climbing the Boot Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Zodiac is getting constant attention but is not crowded because the various teams got together and figured out who would go and when they would go. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  The Pacific Ocean route is getting some attention late in the season.  Here the last guy up has let the bags out and is starting to clean the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  The Muir is more popular this season than I have ever seen it before.  That’s a good thing as it is an excellent route that deserves attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Max Didier, a Chilean, sent Freerider with partner Stefan Brunner and is seen here in the chimney above the Hollow Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  A few days went by and I saw Tobias and Thomas working the Doghead pitch, one of the many very difficult pitches of this new climb.  Turns out they made the successful 2nd ascent of the route!  Congratulations are in order!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  El Corazon has garnered the interest of several teams this season.  This team is a couple of young European climbers who are climbing on one of the best pitches of the route.  I don’t know if they were successful but Brad Gobright met them when he did the route and said they were really good climbers… so….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  Speaking of Brad… here he is on his send of the route.  He made several runs at the A5 Traverse and did send it.  Doing this route in a day has been an obsession of his for the entire season and he was very pleased to have finished it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  Brandon Adams and John Bolte put on a clinic up on Tempest.  The next report will show more of their climb so be sure to stay tuned.  Here they are early in the climb.  They climbed fast and efficiently and were one of the best teams of the season!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

19)  Meanwhile back in the meadow, lots of resting and thus bored climbers invented things to occupy their time.  This frisbie game involved two teams trying to get the frisbie into the boxes they brought for lounging.  I don’t think it will catch on!  Oli Warlow is in the green shirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So that’s the way it is, on this day in Yosemite National Park. 

 

Capt. Tom with one more report still coming your way, so keep an eye out for it in the next few days.