ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/20/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Great weather today with warm temps and mild breezes.  Action is building on the Captain.  Had a nice chat with our climbing rangers, Jake and Jesse, this afternoon.  They informed me that there are now THREE BEARS who roam the base of ElCap.  So it is vital, if you are hauling kit up there, to secure any packs and food out of reach of the bears.  They will shred any pack they find in hopes of finding something.  So no food doesn’t mean no bear!  Day climbers at the base should not leave things either and a bear proof container could be useful.  If your stuff is broken into by a bear YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE and can be cited.  So…. Beware.

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

Zodiac:  Ryan and a partner fixed 3 more pitches today so his climb with Erik Sloan will come off soon.

ZM:  Eli took a 50 footer onto the anchors and hurt his hand enough so that he didn't feel he could continue.  They retreated in good order.

Trip:  The team of three that started on the route yesterday were speeding along nicely today.  They are Ian, Ricco, and John(?).  They are working the three man system better today and were leading the 10th when I left around 4pm.

Belay on the start of the 9th pitch on the Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holly hit it hard again today and was seen heading for the top in mid afternoon.  Nicely done Holly Beck!!

Holly heading for the top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down the team of Elliot Faber and partner Joe did the LA start to the trip today.  They were at the junction of the Trip’s 4th pitch by mid afternoon.

Native Son:  This seldom done route has become suddenly popular.  Dave Alfrey and Scott Lappin started it this morning.  Dave had dusted off the infamous “Coral Sea” pitch by the time I left.
Dave in the shit on the Coral Sea!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The Spanish team of three from yesterday spent the morning passing the King Swing after a bivy on ECT.  They were not, I assume, informed of the best way to do the famous Swing and spent some time bumbling through that entire section of the climb.  However they soon were in stride again and were starting the Great Roof as I departed this afternoon.
Too high on the King Swing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down Patrick Erley and Scott Krankkala moved up to ECT after a DT bivy last night.  Scott got the King Swing and did pretty well on it, when he figured out the right height after a few tries.  They will be staying in the vicinity of Camp 4 tonight … the bad news is that area looks to be quite wet with runoff.
Scott hitting the KS just about right.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott at the KS belay while Patrick waits to lower the kit off the Boot Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All the other parties from yesterday vanished in the night.

Muir:  Burt Bronson and Scott Deputy were climbing the first 10 of the Muir today and I warned them not to take it lightly.  I spotted them on the 5th pitch around 3:30 pm with a long way to go to Mammoth Terrace!  It looked hot over there on the west side.
Burt leading while Scott belays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mystery Scenic shot of the Day.  What waterfall?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visitor to the Bridge today.  Our local Bobcat cruised the Bridge this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Remember tomorrow is the “End of The World Party” at the Bridge.  Bring food and drink!!!!  We plan to go out having fun!  Like Woody Allen said “I don’t want to gain immortality through my work, I want to gain it by not dying!”  Celebrate life friends, with us, at the Bridge, tomorrow!!

So that’s the way it is for this Friday, the 20th day of May, 2011.
Bye, Bye
Tom Evans