ElCap Report 6/8/2015

ElCap Report 6/8/15

By Tom Evans

Yo.. Another day of sun and warm temperatures has passed, here in the Valley.  The forecast is calling for some rain chances later in the week but at the moment the weather is exceptional.  So come on out before the heat shuts down the season, later in the month.

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

1)  Bad to the Bone:  Erik and Kate are always up and at it before I arrive to shoot in the morning.  Here Kate is leaving the belay, headed to the top of the pitch they fixed yesterday.  The glow is from reflected sunlight shining off the lower east side.  They could be off tonight or tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOM’S SHOT OF THE DAY!!!

2)  On Zodiac I got this shot of Alejandro rappelling down to Peanut ledge after climbing the pitch above it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  I got this shot of Alejandro around 3pm as he was getting ready to climb the last pitch… off by now!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Lower down the TER team of 4 slept in late for some reason.  This is their bivy at the start of the 4th pitch.  They were climbing toward the Black Tower as I departed this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Tangerine Trip:  This route is rapidly gaining in popularity this season… why???  Because it is protected from rain for most of the climb!  Here a new two man team is doing the 3rd pitch this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  High on the Trip the Colorado boys were just about done when I took this shot around 3pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Down lower on the Trip the two man Korean TER team climbed to the end of the third pitch and encountered the guys in shot #5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Aurora:  I spotted Matt Lambert and partner Chris hauling kit to the end of the first pitch this afternoon.  The ElCap salute is mandatory for all climbers entering the territory of the Captain!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  NA Wall:  The nearly invisible climbing ranger team bivied on Big Sur Ledge as you see here.  Bud is sorting kit while Cameron is taking a break…Eric is out of view having done the pendulum to the center of the Pacific Ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Later in the morning, Eric Bissel, led the short but tricky pendulum leading, eventually, to the Black Dihedral.  He tried a couple of times but caught holds that led to nothing.  On the third time he busted across at a good run and grabbed the holds at the end of the swing.  I later saw the team nearing the Black Cave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  SSPO:  Brent and Aaron topped out this morning, as seen in this shot.  They made a well paced ascent of this exceptional route!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Over on the Nose several teams started out but only one survived to reach Dolt Tower this afternoon.  Here, Criag and Justin are in the upper part of the shot, hauling and cleaning in the Legs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Dihedral:  I went out west to see what I could see of the NAZ men.  I spotted them sitting on Thanksgiving Ledge this afternoon.  Off tomorrow for sure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  We are hoping for continued fair weather now that we are in the heart of the climbing season.  Lots of climbing going on now… just not so much on the Nose and Salathe.  Steve Schneider is back up on “The Real Nose” hauling kit.  Pete has signed on but has yet to appear, spending most of the day hanging around the bear boxes, sorting his prodigious quantity of kit. 

So that’s the way it is, for this Monday, the  8th day of June, 2015.

Capt. Tom

From the Midwest

Thanks Tom, for taking these amazing pictures so those of us who have no real understanding of these climbs can actually see what's going on! (for all the mothers' out there!) Love you Craig Aubuchon!

Awesome report, as always!

Awesome report, as always! Big ups to Craig and Justin. Craig I missed you tonight at Yael's, but I was stoked to hear that, out of all things to keep you away, you're on el cap! Besides, Tara brought enough meat and potatoes for the two of you. Way to start off the climb strong. Hope you're having a blast, and hope you crush the rest and make it back in time for temporary neck tattoos on Tara's birthday.

NAZ Men

Tom - thanks for checking on the NAZ men - 2 of those boys have celebrated anniversaries on the wall this week - we wives are happy for updates.