ElCap Report 6/23/13

ElCap Report 6/23/12

By Tom Evans

Yo… Spectacular weather today both for the climbers and for me too!  A nice layer of clouds hung over the Captain all day today, making for some excellent, shadow free, photographs.  I always love a cloudy day here in Yosemite.  Remember that tomorrow will be the last Report for the season, BUT I WILL STILL BE AT THE BRIDGE, WORKING AND SHOOTING, UNTIL I LEAVE IN EARLY JULY.  If you are considering donating to the site, then that would be great, as it always helps me out and keeps my Report and photography going.  Any amount is greatly appreciated! 

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

Waterfall route:  Pete has gotten himself lost up there… I sort of poopooed it off, as Pete’s insecurity at being a solo, for the first time in a while.  But, I just finished examining my shots of him today and he is in an area that has much fresh rock scarring.  I think part of the route was destroyed in the big rock fall, in the Fall, a few years ago.  He needs to get the hell out of there immediately.

1)  Pete, in deep shit!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zodiac:  Beau States spent the last of his nights just 80 ft from the top last night.  Sloan and the boys hiked by in the evening, and talked to him.  He said he was really tired… wait until you haul that kit down the East Ledges Bro!!!  Not good!

2)  Beau, clipping the last anchor, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, Steve Bate is on the pitch to Peanut and will spend the night there.  Not too bad a place in bad weather, if indeed we do have rain.

3)  Steve, climbing the not to fun pitch past the Devil’s Brow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Korean team is putting the pitches behind them.  I figured these guys would bail earlier but they are hanging in there and getting it done!  Good on them!

4)  Here we see Suk Min Moon on the lead of his life…the fabulous Nipple Pitch...in fabulous colors!!  Afterwards, they immediately lead off on the MOZ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower yet, the “Lost Team” got found!  Rob and Kindal were on the pitch to the Circle early, climbed the center pitch and were on the Nipple when I departed.  They are a strong team, for sure.

5)  Cleaning and racing the bag to the belay… the bags won!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tangerine Trip:  The mixed Korean team, has their ducks in a row by now and could climb off tonight … I doubt they will, but they were on the higher bolt ladder when I left at 3pm.

6)  Here we see, from the left, Yeol Soo Sung, Eun A Kim, and leader, Kyung Han Ko, as he starts the first bolt ladder pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, the Nomad Adventures Team, from Joshua Tree, jugged the mile of fixed line to the top of the 4th this afternoon.  I talked with Ryan and Kiri as they were finishing getting the

kit together this morning.  They were optimistic and looking forward to some big wall climbing.

7)  Here Ryan is just about done with the long jug up their fixed lines.  Brutal!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSPO:  This will be the last time I will report on Doug … because I saw him at the start of the last pitch early this afternoon and I think he wants off by now!!  Sloan talked to him last evening and he said he was going well!

8)  Doug starting the next to last pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose:  Tough,Mike Flood, is moving on up … doing it his way, all the way and making it work.  I watched him jug from Camp 5 this morning and later got this shot of him cleaning his lead to Camp 6.  Not the best location for bad weather, but somehow, if it rains, I think he will figure out something.

9)  Mike cleaning to Camp 6 this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, the two women, Kathy and Daniel, came down from Dolt as they had just wanted to make a run and bivy there.  They were passed on the way up by a team making a run to Camp 4.  That crew made a speedy descent down the raps to Dolt and beyond.

The only team on the lower part of the route was Matt and Cameron who climbed to ECT from Dolt this morning.  I waited for them to do the King Swing but looked closer and decided to leave. 

10)  They parked on top of the Boot, and had lunch!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highest up, the 3D team, of Spike and Dan, made the top this afternoon.

Salathe:  Will and Thomas did push on into the night yesterday. 

11)  They climbed from Long Ledge this morning and I was able to get this shot of Thomas on the final part of the last pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  This big bus load of Tourons enjoyed the, Ask a Climber Program, this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The weather was nice today and we are hoping that it will not rain, becasue we have several teams still on the wall.  At almost 8pm now, the sky has cleared nicely… so maybe we will be able to see the big moon again tonight.  I was out in the Lydig meadow at 10pm last night, to see the walls bathed in moonlight.  I was only interrupted by supposed, “Nature Walks,” which marched by, with flashlights blazing and the constant chatter of small talk.  The people never bothered to even look at their surroundings!

So that’s the way it is, for this Sunday, the 23rd day of June, 2013.

Until tomorrow,

Capt. Tom

 

Thanks!

Hi Tom,

thanks for doing this every day! We ran up to camp 4 yesterday. Hope Matt and Cameron are out of the weather.

Vinnie

Thanks!

Vinnie,
Its Matt - we did get poured on, but we made it down just fine. Lots of soaked gear. Then we went up and did West Face of Leaning Tower, which was great. Thanks for the well wishes!

Good luck on your NIAD bid!

Matt and Cameron

Tom,
When those guys get down, please inform them that the rope that I (Mac) agreed to fetch to their car wasn't at the base when we got down Saturday. Bummer if it was swiped. Thanks.

Got the rope

Hey Mac,
We rapped down from Camp 4 when it started pouring, and we found the rope in that clearing by the dead tree, so we got it back a-ok. Thanks for looking for it though.

-Matt

Tangerine Trip route team's situation

I am a member of korean TER(name:hyuk jong Kwon)
and always appreciate for your El cap news.
But there is no saying about which pich(number) they did climb and when they can finish this route. Sorry I don't have much information about this route.
Now I think their climbing time is much longer than I expected.
Any problem on their going up?
waiting for your good news and hope to see you june someday next year at there.
Thanks a lot again.

Pete on the way down

I just got off the phone with Pete, he is going to grab some stuff he doesn't want to get wet and is going to fix lines to the ground. He should be down in a few hours. Good call I think, this storm isn't looking friendly at all.

Hoping the remaining teams will be off safe or at least well sheltered.

Thanks for another great season of reports Tom!

Travis

Pic 11

Hey Tom! Was great seeing you this June. I'll be back in September to do Mescalito!!! So...pic 11 says its the final part of the last pitch of Salathe? I don't remember it looking like that.

yes, pic 11 is the Salathe'

It's the last hard part - the squeeze that narrows to ow, then to fist.

- Clint

Justin - love dad team

Justin - love dad team

Thanks for this season's

Thanks for this season's reports, Tom, see you in the fall.

Mark

Thanks!

Again, your reports are the highlight of my web surfing evening. Yes, I do have a life too, for the most part.

I donated already but will give up a precious overpriced Starbx brew coffee a week to keep you shooting shots.

I'll be back in the fall for another lap on The Nose!

John