ElCap Report 5/29/16

ElCap Report 5/29/16

By Tom Evans

Yo…The weather continues to be great, until the late afternoon when thunder storms appear. The past few days the forecast has been spot on.  Clouds rolled in from the north this afternoon and a few droplets landed before I departed around 2:30 pm.  Since the holiday weekend is still on, I went straight to the Ranch, instead of dealing with the traffic.  Things should be better tomorrow!  Some big events are in the immediate future but reporting them in advance might jinx the plans.. so … stay tuned.

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

1) Zodiac:  A solo appeared at the top of the third pitch this morning after spend the night there.  He is in yellow and looks pretty proficient.  He climbed to the start of the Black Tower while I was shooting.  Who is that guy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2) Zenyatta Mondatta:  Sean Warren is looking good thus far.  Here is a close up of him chowing down earlier this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3) Sean finished his first pitch of the day before I left this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4) VA/Trip:  Pete and Anita have blasted and lounged the morning away. They bailed later in the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5) TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!! 

Chris and Nathan are moving right along on Iron something.. maybe Hawk or perhaps Son.. we will see.  Here they are in the center of the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NA Wall:  Things looked strange from down here this morning.  After a time, all three climbers rapped off but left their camp set up at their high point.  Speculation abounded as to what was up. Someone hurt?  Ill?  Dropped rack?  Anyway… I talked to them when they got down and both pullys broke so they couldn’t haul kit anymore.  So they took part of the rack and rapped, leaving lines from the top of pitch 6 to the deck.  They are going to jug their fixed lines and re-climb the 3 pitches to their high point tomorrow!

6) Here they are in camp this morning getting ready to rappel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  At the end of today the route will be completely empty.

7) The remaining teams, from yesterday, topped out today. This is the three-man Spanish team making the top this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8) Later in the day the four-man French team topped out.  Here they are on the way up to the last pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9) There is a mixed team who climbed from Mammoth Terrace to the Muir/Shield junction while I was shooting.  Which way will they go?  Shield, 3D, or Muir?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10) Salathe:  This is the lower of two teams, who were high on the route today.  Here they are on the Enduro Corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11) The lead Salathe team topped out in the early afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12) This Salathe team bailed from the Alcove.

BAIL OF THE DAY!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It seems that the new fence is the place to hang with friends now that I am in the Meadow and the AAC program is just west of the bridge.

13) Mike, Vincent, Alix, Niels, Jean (gesturing) Hugo, Lori, Bud, and Ranger Who?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The weekend will be over soon and things should settle down somewhat.  I have been without the internet the last couple of evenings, because it is out at the ranch since a new cell tower in under construction. I have posted the Report the next morning when I can get internet at the Café.

So that’s the way it is, on this Sunday, the 29th of May, 2016.

Remembering Hillary and Tenzing on this 63rd anniversary of their ascent of Mt. Everest.  I don’t think they would like what is happening on the Big E these days!

Capt. Tom …staying dry at the Ranch!