ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 10/8/15

By Tom Evans

Yo.. We had a cloudy morning that soon turned into a clear day.  The teams that have been on the rock the past day or so are all moving up and most will get off today or tomorrow.  The Nose and Salathe still have a lot of people on them but most are higher up now.  The other routes are open and waiting for you to show up. 

There has been a lot of road paving these past several days and the ElCap Crossover is closed for parking for the time being.   We all have moved out to the west and are parking on the left side of the road for the time being… it should be back to normal in a day or so.  Also a fence is being constructed along the road with openings at various places to allow foot traffic into the meadow.  The meadow is NOT closed.  NPS is trying to limit the number of trails into the meadow, as there are so many.  So look for breaks in the fence to walk through.  The trail we climbers use to go out to the tree is not affected.

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

1)  Zodiac:  The PAA team has climbed off the route by now, after a bivy at the pitch below Peanut last night.  Here the leader is taking in the climbing line, to fix it to the belay there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Trip:  The three man team who fixed yesterday was on the 5^th pitch as I arrived.  Chris, Tito and Connor seem to have their systems dialed and are looking good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kaos:  The guys from yesterday bailed this morning from the top of the first pitch.  Too bad, as it is rarely done and quite photogenic.

 

3)  Bug Wall:  Mescalito… Meg was a pitch short of the Ship’s Bow yesterday but climbed to it this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Later she climbed off the ledge in what might be a bid to finish today…or…just to fix one pitch, so she can easily get off the climb in the morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Over on the Sea, the Brits, Callum and Neil, are still killing it.  I think they are on the price is right pitch in this shot.  Hard to tell pitches in the diorite.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!!  Tempest:  The “Mongolians” were moving some kit up to the top of three when I departed this afternoon.  So far they are proving the doubters wrong.  Pete is seen here jugging up to the top of the third pitch, which he lead early in the afternoon yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Lots of climbers still on the Nose and more are coming up but not in the volume of the past few days.

7)  The Boot looks much shorter in the front on view that I usually shoot…in reality it is longer than that, as seen in this side view.  Greg Loniewski is seen leading part way up the boot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Here Greg is sending the KS with little trouble.  He is a bit low but has the idea and quickly dispatched the pitch.  He is climbing with Lance, who you may recall just got off a “recreational ascent” of Zodiac with partner Ted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Over the past two days a team of Climbing Rangers have been on patrol on the route.  I think one is Brandon and I am not sure who the other is, although I suspect it might be Cam King.  No matter, as they are the “WORST DRESSED TEAM OF THE WEEK”!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  This guy, on the King Swing, ran so fast that he nearly ran by Eagle Ledge!  If you run that fast it doesn’t much matter what line you take!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Higher, Brandon Lathum, the head climbing ranger, is seen here racing the bag to the belay at Camp 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Salathe/Freerider:  Several teams are working the Freerider, along with the usual Salathe teams.  I did spot on old friend, Nate Beckworth, on his hundredth climb of the Monster Crack this afternoon.  This shot is of a team of “Freeriders” at the traverse under the headwall roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  In this shot from way out west, a team is finishing up the Freerider.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Way out west on Never Never Land, Ryan and Ian are moving along above Timbuktu and making good time.  Here they are on a long shot from the Bridal Veil falls area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The forecast is calling for great weather for many days to come, so this is the time for you to come on out.  Lots of things are happening so pay attention to the report to keep up with all the breaking news.

So that’s the way it is, for this Thursday, the 8^th day of October, 2015.

Later, Capt. Tom