ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/23/14

By Tom Evans

Yo..We had another beautiful day here at the vortex, of the epicenter, of the universe.  Nice climbing up on the hill and you will see some cool shots in this report.  Tomorrow Chantel is back on the Nose going for the woman’s solo record.  I talked with her in the meadow and we discussed a few things in a general way.  She feels much better than a couple of days ago.  You go girl!!

Libby and Mayan are planning on Saturday for a Nose attempt.

I also briefly talked to Tommy and Kevin and they are both psyched to be going on the wall.

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

1)  Surgeon General:  I guess I spoke too soon yesterday when I said Marek was now off the route.  He didn’t go the Lunar way but off to the right on some thin climbing past some beautiful rock, as shown here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Lunar:  Sadly these guys are way, way in violation of the dress code but the excellence of the rock made up for it today.  Here is someone leading the 5^th pitch on exotic rock!  Get-a-shirt!  Actually the shirt isn't so bad in this shot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Lower down the second is clearing the belay while the bags are moving up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Brent topped out today and this shot is of him cleaning the friction pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Zodiac:  Geezer team of Mark Hudon and Max Jones were making a ZIAD today when I got this shot of Mark around 2pm entering the White Circle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Over on the Trip, Danny climbed to the start of the bolt ladders late in the day.  Here he is earlier in the upper center of the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Jimmy Beyer, is out there on his own, far from comfort and support.  He seems to be finding little seams to aid, with the occasional rivet.  Here he is in late morning.  Where will he go when these seams end?  We will see.  Nice to see an old campaigner still out there, while most climbers are clipping bolts on trade routes!  I've gotten some emails from his mom, who is psyched to see her Jimmy on the wall. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Lots of action on the NOSE today.  Several parties converged around the King Swing and none escaped without losing some time.  In this shot the climber ran for miles and finally got the grab…I figured he was kissing the rock here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  This team was second in line today and is seen here climbing off Texas Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  This was a nicely dressed team with the second seen here lowering off Dolt Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  I was psyched to watch this mixed team cross low into the Legs and then watch the woman haul the bag with little effort.  When he got over to her at the start of the crack they quickly rapped off…. Ouch!  BAIL OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  This team was dressed in the exact same outfits.  So…anyway… the follower seems to have been short roped and used the flake at the toe of the Boot to lower off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  I got this shot pretty early in the day.  Random dudes, climbing off the top of ElCap Spire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14) Salathe:  Eli Nissan, wide crack lover, in yellow, just finished cruising the Hollow Flake, as another team approached Hollow Flake Ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a couple of teams up higher too.  I did notice a couple of gumbys, Will and Jesse, working off Sous le Toit this morning, planning on who knows what?  I talked to them last night at dinner… they didn’t tell me shit!

 

15)  The clouds were really nice for the first half of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The season is rapidly closing out and I will be gone in less than a week.  Most likely I will take some time off and just write a bit about events of the day…

So that’s the way it is, for this Thursday, the 23^rd day of October, 2014.

Later, ElTom