ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 5/28-29/11
By Tom Evans

Yo … the 28th started out pretty nice but the cold and wind increased as the afternoon wore on.  By late afternoon a storm had moved in and a couple of teams remained on the Cap.  The traffic this weekend has been awful.  Seems that the boys at Traffic Control have some new plan that was to make things go smoothly, for a change.  Unfortunately, the plan looked much better on paper than on the road!  I left the Bridge at 5pm and the South Side Drive was not a road, but a parking lot for most of the afternoon and evening.  I arrived at the Swinging Bridge, a distance of 1.6 miles from the EC Bridge, at 6:30pm and was looking at another one and a half hours of traffic to reach Curry, when I decided to park there and hoof over to the Lodge for dinner.  The plan was successful and I ate at the Mt. Bar and around 8:30 went back to the van and drove to Curry in just 5 minutes.  It would appear that most of the traffic problems here are due to poor planning, and Tourons unfamiliar with the American traffic system.  
Anyway it was impossible to get on the Net so today’s report will combine yesterday and today.

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

Zodiac:  Yesterday Mike climbed the Nipple pitch in good time and was finishing up the Mark of Zorro when the weather went south, late in the afternoon.  He ledged up under the Mark and stayed there.

Mike climbing the not so friendly Nipple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike returning to his kit at the start of the Nipple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I arrived this morning, the 29th, to find Mike out on lead and still out of the wet zone.  He finished his pitch and cleaned and started the long one to Peanut ledge as a heavy squall set upon the Captain.  He was not getting wet but the rain was driving hard out behind him.  I figure he will bivy at Peanut and go off tomorrow as the conditions allow.

Mike climbing over the Devil's Eyebrow this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike climbing while the storm rages behind him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zenyatta Mondotta:  Mark Hudon and John Fine arrived in the morning on the 28th and went right to the route.  They fixed two pitches and came down when the storm hit in the late afternoon.  Today they hung around the Bridge and departed later for their camp.

John cleaning while Mark lounges in his hammock.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  Yesterday Adam and Angelo were a long way from the top when the day started.  They decided that they needed to get off before the threatening weather crashed upon them.  They took off and made the top just as the storm broke upon them.  I talked to them this morning and they said they had a slippery descent but it went ok for them.  

Running for the top on the Trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam and Angelo at the Bridge today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The team from the 27th bailed from ECT on the morning of the 28th.  Turned out to be a wise move… but still they got the coveted....
BAIL OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shield:  Yesterday, the 28th I didn’t spot Sara and Corey until late, as they were hauling kit off the route.  They topped out before the weather crashed.
I haven’t seen them since.

Sara and kit near the end of the Shield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  I spotted a team high on the route yesterday who were climbing to the Roof.  The storm hit as they were underneath the Roof.  Fortunately they were able to get hold of the fixed line left by free climbers, and all jugged out to Long Ledge.  I didn’t see them this morning through the clouds and assume they went off last night.

Below a team of three Spanish climbers (the ones who did the Nose last week) and a woman climbed from Heart Ledge to the Ear over the course of the day.  When I departed they were at the belay below the Ear and were fully getting hosed.  Today they were spotted in the Alcove, so they must have climbed through the rain and wind to get there.  They were lounging around today and eventually set up a portal edge.  They are waiting it out.

Spanish team climbing above Hollow Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Two Spanish team members waiting and waiting and waiting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out west a couple of teams bailed off Lurking Fear during the downpour.
I don’t know where PTPP is and assume they fixed and came down.

In other news:  It is almost official now… this is the worst Spring climbing season in the last 20 years.  We hope for better weather but it just won’t hang around for long.  Discouraging.  By late Tomorrow the Cap will be almost empty and all we can do is wait for better days.

So that’s the way it is on a soggy Sunday, the 29th day of May, 2011.
Remembering Hillary and Tensing on this 58th anniversary of their ascent of Mt. Everest.

Bye Bye… TME