ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/26/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Wonderful day here in the Ditch!  Sunny and bright but windy on the cliff.  The climbs are starting to get some attention now and that is a welcomed change for me.  It gets kind of boring at the Bridge with nothing but the Nose, Zodiac, and the Trip to shoot!  The big weekend is coming and we await the traffic jams and long lines at food courts!  Tourons… stay home!!!  You may notice that the picture quality is somewhat lower these days.... I have had to go to more compressed shots to save space on the server... the Hi Rez of them are really nice.

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

Zodiac:  The lead climber, Peyton, topped out this morning after a night on Peanut Ledge.  The team below him was not far behind.  I didn’t see the new solo, Mike Donaldson, on the route.

Pitch to Peanut ledge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peyton leading the Slab Pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  The two man team you have been watching for a couple of days topped out this morning.
Hauling to the top on the Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down I saw the team of Angelo Angelilli and Adam Long climb the first pitches of the direct start to this over used route.  They looked like a team in the know and are also sharp dressers!

Angelo and Adam and the Sombrero on the Trips direct start.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  Teams from yesterday continued to climb upward and all will be off today.  A new NIAD team of Climbing Ranger Jake and buddy Ben, was seen climbing rapidly upward and should be off by dark.
A team of three climbed over Dolt and continued up via the Jardine Traverse and corner.

Jardine corner and Texas Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down it looked like “Let’s climb to Dolt day”!  A few teams went up and rapped down.  Below a wall style team was dragging up the Legs as I departed.

Shield:  Sara Land and partner, Corey, showed up on the Headwall this morning.  I had a little chat with them as they departed and instilled the importance of keeping warm up there.  They were blasted by high winds all day, but kept moving.  Sara was leading the Groove as I departed.

Sara lowering the bags on the Shield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corey and Sara puffied up in the wind and cold of the Headwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sara leading the Groove pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  I did see a team climb to the Ear this morning and afternoon with bags, so they just might be serious about the route.  The last several days have seen a lot of climbers who are just running up to the Alcove for some practice.

Lost World:  I did see a pitch of fixed line over there as Piton Pete and buddy Dave Blattel are going on the route very soon.

Lurking Fear:  Erik Sloan and partner Ryan are doing a push today and I spotted them at the Grand Traverse this afternoon.  It looked warm over there.  This will be Erik’s last EC route for a while as he and his wife are expecting a baby boy within the next week or so.

I did see a team on the first pitch of Lurking Fear and this is them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Erik Leading the Traverse pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name the Mystery Chimney of the Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Heroes of recent ascents of the Cap were at the Bridge this afternoon basking in the glory, for their one allotted day.  Also talked to Ammon and Kait who are heading up the Muir Wall for a wall style ascent over the next several days.  Great Route!!

Aussie climbers, just down from Lurking Fear, celebrating at the Bridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scott and Jared just down from the Nose are happy to be at the Bridge!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a sad note… Handsome Mike, a long time climber here in the Valley, and a kind and gentle man, has died.  Details are sketchy at the moment.
He will be missed by his many friends here and elsewhere.

So that’s the way it is for this Thursday, the 26th day of May, 2011.
Today’s words of wisdom:
“Pride never helps, it only hurts”

Later Tom Evans