ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/15/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Ok the Report is back and all your anxiety was for nothing!  Rumors abound around the Valley about my demise, but the Report lives on.  Still some smoke in the Valley from time to time but nothing we can’t deal with.  I arrived on the 12^th of Sept. to see a cliff that was not getting much action but now things are on the move.  This report will cover the last 4 days, today included.  So take a break Cupcakes, Cubicle Pukes, Internet Climbers, and get ready for today’s report … ditch the kids, the spouse, the pets… because this is your time to head up on ElCap with old Captain Tom!

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

Zodiac:  Several parties climbed the Zod in the last week including a group of 3 Vets, two of whom are disabled.  You wouldn’t know it by looking at them.  One had a prosthetic leg and the other a foot.  They were lead by local hero and great guy Skiy Detray, veteran of many ElCap climbs and a vet himself.  There were also 30 or so other vets who met here and camped in Yellow Pines campground.  A good time was had by all.

You may recall Jordan Webster from various ascents with Adam Tischler and Bill Leventhal.  He and a buddy climbed the Zod in a 2 bivy ascent, finishing the day I arrived.

A team of two topped out today in mid afternoon.

1)  Lower down a solo, Dameon, was tearing it up until he took the plunge just after this shot was taken.  He landed on the ramp and injured his foot.  He self rescued and was down today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Lost in America:  We have another solo climber on this great route.  He is climbing well.  Looks like an old school guy…. Who is that dude??  Turns out is is Jim Beyer... about as old school as you can get!  He is known around here for his difficult routes and antics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  New Dawn start to Tribal Rite:  A solo, Kevin DeWeese, is out there and moving right along.  He has been too low to see but is now is visible from the Bridge. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The King is packing them in at the moment.  In the past several days 7 or 8 parties have been on the route.  I will try to sort it all out over the next couple of days.

The best climb I saw on the route was a NIAD yesterday, by Zack Milligan and Ranger, Jack Hoeflich, already a legend in these parts for his heroic actions in many a rescue.  The unlikely team, has done several NIAD’s and are, I think, working their time down to a preset goal.  Nice job guys!!

4)  Jack on the Jardine Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Jo leading Dennis on the Jardine.  She is from Imperial College in London, he is from Germany.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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6)  Team high on the Nose, heading for the Alcove today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Locals Buck, Dave, and Triscut are moving smartly along with Buck on the sharp end till now, tearing it up!!  Here is buck leading off Texas Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Muir:  Austrian mountain guide, Stefan Brunner, soloed the route and topped out this afternoon.  He climbed well and efficiently.  He has made several climbs on ElCap in the past and is always psyched for more!  Very nice climbing by the confident young climber.

8)  Here he is at the top of the nutting pitch where Mason Robison is remembered by the chalk heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shield:  What started out as a party of 5 thinned out to 4… two guys and two women with the guys doing the leading.  They climbed well and were off this morning.  It was the women’s first ElCap climb!

9)  Here the women Jennie and Amanda and some dude are seen at the hanging belay below the Groove.  What butt boards?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  Three Brits climbed the Free Blast portion of the route today and seemed to have it under control.  They plan to haul loads tomorrow.

Dihedral to Horse Play:  Piton Pete was unable to find a partner for the entire climb so he and buddy Mike Davis are over there in the heat, fixing as high as they can until Mike has to leave.  Pete will continue solo.

10)  Mike and Pete atop the first pitch on the Dihedral.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lurking Fear:  Several parties are out west on this oft done route.  It looked very warm out there this afternoon.

11)  Random dude half way up on Lurking Fear this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  We had a big rescue off the Cap a day before I arrived.  Seems that two Spanish climbers had some problem on the Great Roof as the leader took a 50ft plunge off the pitch, hitting his partner and injuring himself.  YOSAR swing into action with a lowering operation under difficult conditions with Ed Visnovske and Chris Bellino going down in strong winds.  These guys know their shit and handled the difficult conditions with courage and skill.  The climbers were lowered successfully to the ground and another one was in the books!!!  These rescues require many people to bring them to a successful conclusion… I would love to recognize all of them in the Report but, unfortunately, there are just too many people to list.

As you read previously, I am no longer working at the Bridge. Erik Sloan and Roger Putnam are picking up the slack and going a great job there.  I will be around a lot of the time, but now will be able to shoot from different locations, more often.  So come on down and hang out… the scene is cool and the weather nice… Unfortunately there is presently a famine in the beer department but hopefully it will work itself out in the coming days.  Good times!!

So that’s the way it is, for this Sunday, the 15^th day of September, 2013.  The Fall season is starting out with a bang.

More next time!

Captain Tom