ElCap Reports

 

ElCap Report 6/03/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… And yet another perfect day to be climbing on the Captain! A nice breeze cooled things off by mid morning and everyone was loving it except the guys on the Shield. A lazy Sunday at the Bridge with a battalion of climbers in evidence. The action on the Cap kept the day moving right along. Hope you are enjoying the reports thus far this season. The “new” lens is really bringing in the detail… Ah yes!! The good, bad, and ugly up close and personal!

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

 

Iron Hawk: The old man continues to be young again as he makes his way up one of the more difficult and interesting routes on the rock. This Kauk/Bard route is a hand full for a team of experienced climbers, much less a Senior Citizen Solo!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  Mark starting another day of traverses.

　

Mescalito: Jim and Cameron didn’t push to the top yesterday but were off the route by late morning. Nice climbing for this Flagstaff team!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Jim Gaun leading on Mescalito’s last pitch.

　

New Dawn: The solo, Francis, continues to climb well. He reached Wino Tower this morning and was seen pushing above by afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Francis arriving at Wino Tower.

　

Tribal: Marc and Markus were up and at it this morning. It appeared Marc was leading everything today as Markus belayed and cleaned. They were above the Rurp pitch by afternoon and will bivy on the nice ledge, two from the top. It appeared that Markus is fine after his accident yesterday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Marc climbing in the Big Country, on the Rurp pitch.

　

Nose: The Ecuadorian team of three bivied at ECT and climbed to the vicinity of Camp 4 by the time I departed. They may go higher to bivy.

They nailed the King Swing pitch, that I coached them on a few days ago.

Smart dressers too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Problem… The bag line clipped itself into one of the bolts on the lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

6)  King Swing the right way at the right place! Don’t run on the tan band as it is very slippery. Run just above or below it.

　

The much anticipated, Joshua Tree Girls Team, was spotted on Sickle ledge this afternoon. They are Mitzi, Beth, and Bernadette and are carrying the flag to revenge the demise of last years JTree team. They fixed and hauled and will most likely be back on the route after the forecast rain tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6A)  The girls talking it over on Sickle this afternoon.

The Shield: I talked to Tate and Laddy earlier in the week about their plan to do this great route. Today they appeared on the Headwall. They must have done the first three after I left yesterday. Interesting action up there today. First it was pretty warm and windless as the light came onto them. Then the leader took a spectacular 40 footer of the triple cracks pitch. I was focusing the scope for a Touron and saw the plunge. He went all the way to the belay and hit the portaledge. Sweet!!! Later the wind came up and we witnessed a real wrestling match with the ledge and fly and the climber. The outcome was uncertain for some time but the climber prevailed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  First light on the Shield.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

 

8)  Just after the plunge… notice how the ledge pole is bent!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

　

9)  Wrestling, ElCap style!

　

Freerider: I did see, who I believe to be, Peyton Hassinger and Pard over on the ear pitch of this route. They snuck up on me so I didn’t get many shots of them.

　

In other news: Nice day here today. I got a much needed bath at the pool this afternoon, which has done wonders for my popularity! Lots of climbers came by and Bob, who you may remember from the Fall when he climbed the Trip, showed up with much needed supplies. His last name evades me at the moment. We had fun watching the King Swing and the guys taking it on the chin on the Shield. Hard to imagine it is supposed to rain tomorrow!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Some of the Bridge Crew this afternoon.

 

So that’s the way it is, for this Sunday, the third day of June, 2012.

So long,

Capt. Tom