ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 6/29/09
By Tom Evans
Yo… nasty here at the bridge and the weather was bad too.  Lots of smoke from the “controlled burn” that seems to have turned into an “uncontrolled” burn.  The heat was full on today and the air was nasty.  But….the lads were sending on the Cap.  All the “long term” teams are a day or so from the top and there don’t seem to be any replacements.   So, it is just about over here and I have had just about had all the “fun” I can stand here at the bridge. 
I find myself wanting to smack the miniature Touron kids, who like to grab at the scope and I want to tell their parents to get back on the bus… must be about time to go!

Today’s Report is brought to you Summer… the best time not to be here!
Today’s ECR… one of the last you will read this season… be ready…

Bad Seed:  Pete and Kate were up early today and hard at work by the time I got there to shoot.  Kate was out front this morning on one of the last pitches of the independent route.  It looked pretty thin up there and hot later in the day.
1)  Kate leading off the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Kate in the thin on Bad Seed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trip:  Stefan is putting on a clinic up there, as the pitches are rolling by beneath him.  He must be in great shape as the heat doesn’t seem to be hindering his climbing at all.  He will be past the bold ladders by late this evening and off tomorrow.  A nice conclusion to a fine big wall season.
3)  Stefan moving along in the heat of the day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  Solo Josh is hitting his stride now and it is possible he could top out tonight if he pushes the last two pitches this evening.  Down tomorrow no matter what.  Any friends out there going to hike up and help him bring his stuff down?
4)  Josh at the Bow just 2 from the top.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reticent:  The three person YOSAR team is putting them down up there.  Dana lead a nice pitch over sweet looking overhangs a few pitches from the top today.  They have the supposed crux to face tomorrow and should be off by evening.  Looking good up there!
5)  The team on the move high on the route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose:  The two teams from yesterday did swap places this morning.  The Ranger team of Eric and Alex passed thru Thanh and Andy and continued to the Great Roof in the hot afternoon sun.  They are on what our climbing ranger, Jesse, called a “Nose Wipe”.  They are cleaning up trash and mank from the route as they go up… someone needs to tell these NPS Pukes how to dress when on the Cap.  Hell, it looks like they are in uniform!!  Thanks for the work lads.
6)  Alex looking to traverse to the Grey Bands a little early on the Nose route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The team they passed had some time with the King Swing and had to replace swingers to finally get it done.  They vanished into the Grey Bands late in the afternoon.
Below them a NIAD team, barely visible to the unaided eye, went up via the Jardine and were seen in the Grey Bands pretty late in the afternoon to have things work out good…. Long night ahead for these guys… maybe a bail?
7)  Stickin it to the Jardine Traverse on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aquarian:  I did see Peyton up on the headwall above the big overhangs this morning and on into the afternoon.  It looked absolutely torrid over there but he kept going and going. 
8)  Peyton, getting it done on the Aquarian Wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blast from the Past:
This 1996 shot took a year to scope out and line up but the result was worth the effort. 
9)  Yosemite Falls with the Big Dipper overhead, Summer of 96.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news.  There isn’t much “other news” today.  The boys in Green made a sweep through C4 late last night and netted a lot of $$$ for the NPS through non-registered climbers.  The ticket for not having a site is the ridiculous amount of $175.  The cost of a place in a site is $5.  Sounds like over kill to this reporter.  Several of the foreign climbers were hit on their last night in the park… bad luck boys!!  I think the fine is $99 for OB camping in the boulders… so I guess the moral of the story is to camp out of bounds if you can’t find a place as it is a cheaper fine!  Whatever….

So that’s the way it is for this the 29th day of June 2009.
Be safe… Tom
Update:  I went down to the Captain about 10pm to see the great rock in the moonlight and check on the teams.  I haven't had the time to go at night this season as I have been too damn busy with photos and this report.  It was a wonderful, warm night and I had the place to myself with the exception of Ivo who was talking with his brother on his cell.  I saw lights on the pitch above C5 and figure they belonged to the NIAD team.  A team was going into C5 which I figure is the Ranger team.  I thought I saw a flicker at C4 which would be Than and partner.  Over on Reticent I saw lights not far from the top but not as high as the good ledge just below the last pitch.  Josh on Mescalito was interned on the Bow for the night.  I saw Pete and Kate's light just below the right end of the Devil's Eyebrow.  The solo on the trip didn't have a light and what the hell, he might have pushed it and gotten off before I got there... doubt it, but that kid is good!  I couldn't see anything over on Aquarian.  Night is such a wonderful time here in the valley.  I am constantly and pleasantly surprised that no Tourons venture out to see its wonders.  A moonlit night in the EC meadow is something to treasure for a lifetime.