ElCap Report 6/22/12

ElCap Report 6/22/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… Perfect temperatures today as it was Fall in Summer for a change. The wind was pretty stout in the afternoon, however. The Captain is kicking butts these days. In the last several days, out of 6 teams that went on the Cap, only 1 remains! The Korean Extreme Riders Trip Team is the only one left on the wall! Good job ElCap!! Some replacements have arrived and, hopefully, will fare better than previous teams crushed by the Captain.

We expect several days of cooler than normal temperatures and no rain… so this is it!!! The last of the last chances to get on that route you wanted to do this season.

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

Zodiac: The Echo Team bailed this morning from the top of the 4th. A replacement team was on the rock as they came down. Two dudes I have no information about did the first two by the time I departed.

Trip: The Extreme Team of 4 climbers climbed higher as the day wore on and were heard playing tunes and cutting up for their leader, IC Kang, who listened intently on the radio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  Finishing the “Ramp” on the Trips 10th pitch this morning.

 

Lower down Brant "Vampire" Didden was spotted on the Virginia approach to the route. He was almost at the end of the stardard 4th belay as I left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Brant climbing in the black streak leading to the belay.

 

Tempest: I watched for a few minutes this morning while Erik Eriksson climbed the third on this excellent route. I went over later to get a better angle and watched Big Wall Kate cleaning the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Erick leading some interesting rock on the third of Tempest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Kate cleaning gear.

 

Tribal: Adam and Jordan spent the night on ECT and were hauling kit as I arrived this morning. There were on the route above the Boot as I departed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Hauling freight up the Texas Flake this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Adam leading off Texas Flake.

 

Nose: The team of three who did the Jardine traverse yesterday bailed this morning.

Higher up the “Pajama” team, one member of which is wearing flannel, topped out this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Hauling kit over the top of El Capitan.

Lower down, I hear there are several teams lined up to give the route a go… most will bail, if the recent past is any indicator of the future!

Salathe: I did see a team of two climb the Hollow Flake and make it to the start of the Ear pitch before I left at 2:30pm.

Out west… ah yes… out west… I haven’t a clue. The air turbulence is so bad out there in the afternoons these days it is impossible to get a clear shot of anyone. So I don’t go… Fall maybe.

In other news: Ammon and Kait arrived today and soon hoofed off to the start of Aurora. I hear Raging Roger Putnam is headed to the NA with an unnamed partner. I forgot to look for them today, as that huge pine blocks my view of the first half of the route. I asked the NPS to cut all those trees down but they seem uninterested!

So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the 22nd day of June, 2012.

Later,

Tom

Salathe Wall

How is the team of 2 doing on the Salathe?

L@@K

L@@K
They really should cut those trees!!!

Raging Roger

and his partner Ned (AKA Ned-ergy) are on the NA.

Radness

Thanks Tom. I have been enjoying all of the Reports!!
Your photographs are spectacular and they provoke my imagination!

Nicholas

?

Nice!

Whats up with the ropes hanging near Tempest? I assume one is the rope swing? But the other?

rope swing, tempest base

in past years a few times more than one swing was set up....one summer there was a short swing from the top of south seas first or second pitch and another that was set up on maybe the second pitch of tempest or something like that a little higher in the alcove and it swung out further and was harder to get back up....anyways, this could be the reasoning....or not