ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/7/19

By Tom Evans

Yo… Today was a beautiful day… right up until 1pm when the Valley filled with smoke from a fire near Midpines which was Zero percent contained.  Needless to say hwy 140 was closed this afternoon.  So I got a couple of hours extra time to finish images early and write this report.  The weather continues to hold.

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

1)  Shortest Straw saw Ottawa Doug fixing the first two pitches.  Doug is a good friend and it is good to have him back in the Valley.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Two Polish climbers have been fixing on Kaos for the past couple of days.  There is some concern that part of the route vanished a year or so ago and they are equipped to place some rivets if necessary.  Here they are at the end of the first, leading off on the second pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Neil Chelton and Maria Parkes are here from the frozen north and set off on Lost in America today.  Here is a shot of Maria leading off on the 2^nd pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Josh Huckaby and 2 other climbers are making short work of Native Son.  Here we see the leader on the famously steep “Wing” pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Higher on Native Son the team climbed up to the Golden Finger of Fate and are seen here leading off on the first pitch of that huge feature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Hayden Robinson and his crew did a 28 hour push on Tangerine a day or so ago.  Here the guys are waiting until Hayden has finished the 5^th pitch before going up on the Avatar pitch themselves.  Remember, the Black Cat is always watching.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Over on the NA Wall Lani Chapko is seen following the famous Roof Pitch out of the Black Cave that her partner, Taylor Smallwood just lead and hauled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  This team of two was climbing the Sea of Dreams but had to bail on their 3^rd day due to the illness of one of the team.  They are seen here low on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  The two-man team who were on Grape Race to approach Tribal Rite are now on Tribal.  Here they are on the 2^nd pitch above the Boot Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Tribal team on the cool Carrot pitch yesterday morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Later, the same day. the Tribal team hit some gorgeous rock high on the route. Off tomorrow I think…maybe late tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Leader fall off the Boot Flake on the Nose route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Brad Gobright is seen here on the Lynn Hill traverse on one of his practice runs on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Miska Izakovicova is seen here, with her partner, climbing the Monster Crack on the way to work Golden Gate. Looks like Brandon Adams in the blue hoodie below the ear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  Today Miska and partner tried the difficult moves onto Golden Gate without much luck.  The heat is up now and hard climbing is even more difficult as a result.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  A few days ago Alix Morris and Brandon Adams made a daylight run up the Salathe.  Here Brandon is seen high on the Headwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17)  Para-adventurer Enock Glidden is seen taking a long look at ElCap, which he has previously climbed.  He came out and hung out with the crew at the tree in the meadow… a good time was had by all as Enock has a killer sense of humor and kept us laughing all afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18)  A spy plane, posing as an airliner, flew over the Valley a couple of days ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  More action is due in the next few days with Big Name climbers in the Valley for the season.. Don’t miss the action.. stay tune to the ElCap Report… unique in all the world.

A Polish Team is out west on Cosmos.  A team of local climbers is off to do the Shield.  Brad Gobright and Alex Honnold made a drop-in to the upper Nose to get some practice on that part of the route with an eye on a free ascent in the near future.

Capt. Tom… hold up in the ECM… just for you.