ElCap Report 6/18/10

Submitted by Tom Evans on Sat, 06/19/2010 - 04:54

ElCap Reports from June 2010

By Tom Evans

Yo… Spectacular weather continues to energize the ElCap suitors. It doesn’t get any better than this for the middle of June. Where are you? I guess it’s a stupid question, because you are in front of a computer reading this right now! Anyway, you need to slide that chair back, run for the car, and drive away right now! Your destination? You know. I realized today that I have not had a single “Stick of the Day” for a Korean team! They had been notorious offenders in the past, but I gave them so much flack about it in the Report, that the Climbing School in Seoul has it in their curriculum not to use sticks anymore on ElCap!! Ah yes, my influence has spread far and wide!! Today’s ElCap Report is brought to you by the Team Extreme Riders Climbing School.

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

Lunar Eclipse: The four man team has finished Lunar and is now on Zodiac to finish out the climb. It has been a lot of fun for me to get something new to shoot! So I will finish out their climbing with several shots.

Climbing over the Devil’s Brow early in the morning today.

First light on Lunar Eclipse.

Waiting team members wave to the Bridge Crew.

Follow the leader to Zodiac. Eric, the Zodiac solo, is second from the left, having lost the race to the belay.

Zodiac: The team of Pierce and Steven passed the last three pitches today and reached the top in early afternoon after what appeared to be an uneventful climb. We, of course, know that no climb on the Captain is uneventful!

Eric bivied at the start of the MOZ pitch and climbed it and was on the one above when the Koreans slid in front of him. Peanut ledge tonight for him, assuming he Koreans push on to the top around dark.

Eric climbing the MOZ pitch this morning.

The Korean team that fixed to three will be blasting tomorrow.

Trip: The two guys who have been quietly climbing the route have topped out now. They climbed off in the early afternoon.

Lower down Chris Chan climbed the center of the route today and should be at the Bolt ladders for her Bivy. She must be in a world of her own now, with the rock and sky her only boundaries. She has labored day after day, driven by some inner strength that is seldom required in the everyday world of the ground. She has been alone for some time now and must be longing for a conversation or warm embrace. The Solo has, I think, the best of journeys to be found on ElCap.

Chris, measuring the next pitch, against her will to continue, which must be very strong by now.

Mescalito: Luke and Jason are on the route now and are moving right along. I watched them climb to the Sea Gull and beyond this afternoon. Should be a fun time for them.

Luke traversing on the fifth under the watchful eye of the stork.

Nose: A couple of parties swung into the Stovelegs and climbed smartly up over Dolt only to bail from ECT. Mark Hudon was set to go on the route today but didn’t have enough gas left in his tank and headed home instead.

Higher up Mash and partner did the King Swing and went beyond. He was the guy with the Highway Dept vest yesterday! It had to be you Bro! A couple of wall style teams plugged along normally. No one is below the Grey Bands at the moment.

Climbers who would ultimately bail, headed up the legs this morning.

Shield: Scott and John climbed off today. Below them the Green Team, Tobias Petersen and Niels Madsen from Denmark, climbed above the Roof and past the Groove as I departed. It looked really cold and windy up there as the afternoon came on.

Early morning on the Shield Headwall. Love the shirt!

Sunkist: I did get a quick look at Brian as he cruised the pitches above Mammoth headed to the Magic Mushroom approach to the route.

Salathe: A team of what appeared to be three Koreans climbed to the spire late in the morning. Nice shirts!

Sweet colors on the Ear.

Lower down another team of three were seen climbing the Hollow Flake and above as the day progressed. I don’t know who they are at this time.

Anyone interested in belaying?

Out west: Basking Bob had all the fun he could endure and bailed today. He was replaced on the route by EE and Mike who will slide up it with no problem.

In other news: The victorious Korean teams from LA and ND came by this afternoon with treats for the Crew and we all had a good time. Pretty casual day here but the weekend is on and who knows what mayhem will befall us?