ElCap Report 6/18/12

ElCap Report 6/18/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… It’s summertime, summertime, sum sum summertime, summertime! Pretty warm .... the first day of Summer is just a few days away. However, the temperatures are due to moderate in the next few days, so several teams are blasting soon. Don’t be discouraged, you can do it, just take some extra water and a solar protection device… one is featured below!

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

Zodiac: Matt, Aaron, and Joey decided to push for the top yesterday instead of spending the night on Peanut. They came by the Bridge this afternoon and hung out. They had a fun climb with little stress. Nice to see Matt again after a spell away.

The Austrian Solo, Peter, moved up from the end of the MOZ pitch today and was hauling to Peanut as I departed this afternoon. I think he will stay there and fix one above, then off tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  Peter breaking down the belay this morning beneath the intimidating, Devil’s Brow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Peter lowering out kit for the haul to Peanut this afternoon.

 

Shortest Straw: Cheyne Lempe, and old timer, Mark Hudon blasted on the route today. They plan about 4.5 days on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Cheyne leading the second on the Straw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Mark protected by his solar protection device.

 

Tangerine Trip: A 4 person, Team Extreme, Korean team began this route today. I spotted them on the second pitch this afternoon. They looked to be having fun and making progress. This is the first ascent of the route this season….unbelievable!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Korean team moving up to the top of the 2nd.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Bored belayers, waiting for the leader to finish the 3rd on a warm day.

 

 

Tempest: EE and Big Wall Kate are hauling kit to, and fixing on, this excellent route.

Mescalito: Colorado boys, Dan and John, made good progress yesterday and made it to the Bismarck ledge to bivy last night. I spotted them this morning on that famous ledge and feature above. John climbed the feature without much trouble and they were headed higher as I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  The classic Bismarck on Mescalito.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  John leading the Bismarck this morning.

 

Lower down, Dan Roberts, Pete Shepherd, and Steve Jones finished the Molar traverse and climbed the nasty chimney above this morning. Later they struck upward into the center of the route. The rock looks really cool up there. They are moving along just fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Moving kit and 3rd man up to the start of the chimney pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  The belay, amidst the wild rock in the middle of the route.

 

The Spray brothers didn’t show today.

A three man Korean team was fixing some on the route today.

New Dawn: I didn’t see Pete and the boys today but Adam and Jordan showed up to do the start in route to Tribal. They blast tomorrow after a slight problem with a pro-traction hauling kit yesterday.

Nose: A couple of teams are in the vicinity of Sickle. One team made the charge off that ledge and promptly bailed from the start of the Stovelegs. It would be a bail of the day but they were in the trees before I realized their effort had gone south.

I didn’t see anyone further to the West than the Nose but heard a party or two is somewhere in that smoldering wasteland.

In other news: Tourons and climbers alike are talking about the Nose Record set yesterday. If you check the count for yesterday’s Report you will see it is over 9,000 and climbing. Pretty cool!  A nice morning was made even nicer when Brian "Coiler" Kay showed up at the Bridge this morning.  He is widely regarded as the premier nick-name giver in the Valley, and many of us carry his monikers!  He is climbing the Robin's route on Higher Spire, with a buddy, for make his final route, having done all the other routes on both Spires!  Great to see him again after several years.

So that’s the way it is, for this Monday, the 18th day of June, 2012.

Bye, Bye,

Ansel Evans

Go Dan and John! You guys are

Go Dan and John! You guys are cruising. Good seeing you again this spring and look forward to reading about the rest of your send.

Tom: Brian may be the premier nick name giver but I think you've made one for Mike and Aaron.

Higher Spire

Who does Coiler have ferrying loads up to Higher Spire THIS time?!? Glad to hear hes making an appearance!

great shots

Thanks Tom. Hope to get down there in September

Thanks Tom

Super crispy shots, man great detail.

Hudon breakin out the umbrella…. Nice move!!

Great shots, Tom, thanks. So

Great shots, Tom, thanks. So far, Cheyne and I having a good time up here.

Mark

thanks for the photo's!

Love being able to check in and see what our buddy is up too (Mark the old timer).
awesome pic. tom!!!! Mark you are AMAZING...... live,love,laugh.
Hey I think I need some coffee when you are done playing spiderman. HaHa!

Robin and Sally
Hood River OR