ElCap Report 5/17/13Submitted by Tom Evans on Sat, 05/18/2013 - 03:07 |
ElCap Report 5/17/13
By Tom Evans
Yo… You know all that rain that seems to have everyone on edge these days? Well, it failed to materialize today. It was a beautiful day with a deep blue sky and puffy white clouds sailing along! Perhaps now everybody will get off their butts and do some climbing on the Cap!! The people are here… minus the will to climb! Thus, today’s report is going to be on the thin side… live with it!!
Today’s ElCap Report…..written just for you….unique in all the world!!
Zodiac: This excellent, yet relatively easy, route is empty, save a solo climber, Joe Schultz, who fixed one this morning, after carrying kit to the base. He isn’t planning on blasting for several days. So, all you Zodiac seekers just might consider making a run at it, sooner rather than later, before the crowds are jockeying for position.
Nose: The colorful team of Lea, Hamik, and Vicky arrived this morning at the Bridge on their way to fix to Sickle. I don’t know if they reached that famous ledge as I departed around 2:20pm and they were not in sight.
1) Lea, Hamik, and Vicky looking pretty chipper for people about work really hard!
2) The team heading off to fix some rope on the Captain.
Higher up, Preston and Phillip, were spotted on top of Texas Flake this morning. They did the Boot and King Swing without difficulty and were last seen at Camp 4.
3) Phillip and Preston dusting off the Boot Flake this morning.
4) Here is a shot of them in the Grey Bands just before the corner pitch to Camp 4.
3D: A Team of two came over from the Muir traverse and were climbing the Great Roof when I arrived. They were climbing out of Camp 5 as I departed.
5) This shot was taken from a long way out, and shows both the lead Muir team of Chris and Cole, at the start of the Nutting pitch, seen on the left, and the 3D team climbing out of Camp 5, seen on the far right.
Muir Wall: The team of Chris and Cole are in the front of a two team train climbing this excellent, though seldom done, route. You saw them in the picture above.
Below them is Mason and Marc, who are making good progress but are a few pitches behind Cole and Chris.
6) The belayer and kit are seen here in this long shot that includes the iconic Great Roof, on the Nose.
Golden Gate: The Norwegians were seen climbing off the route this morning. Did they get the free send? Yes one of the team did send it.
7) The start of the last pitch on GG.
Freerider: Chris and Oli topped out today on their attempt at this free route. I saw some shots on Facebook , but no word on how it went.
8) Scenic shot of the Great Northwest Face of Half Dome.
In other news: Climbers continue to pour into the Valley and some well known names are due to arrive soon and the Big’s are about to spring into action. They should be fun to watch and, of course, I will be your man, here at the Bridge!
We had a small crew at the Bridge today. The well known, “Princess of the Bridge” Denise, and her Prince, Russ, showed up today, bring some brews and some provisions to keep me going a few more days. Several others drifted in and out and we all had a nice day at my office… what my man, Stu, calls it the office with the best view in America! He may just be right!
9) Libby, Matt, James, Denise, and Russ hanging loose at the Bridge today!
So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the 17th day of May, 2013.
I’m outta here!
Capt. Tom
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Hi...Matt...See you soon....
Hi...Matt...See you soon....
yeah Tom!
loving the shots from out West.
Keep it broseph.
HD
Thanks for the ever-entertaining reports, Tom!
Do you take 'scenic shots' of Half Dome every day? My friends are starting the Direct NW Face route today or tomorrow and I'm wondering if I'll be able to spot them as tiny colored dots in your photos!
D
From Tom: I only shoot climbers on ElCap and Not half dome. That shot was taken with a little point-shoot camera.
Sweet
Psyched to see the report is back!