ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/16/13

By Tom Evans

Yo… Great weather is drawing them to the Captain now.  Clear skies and mild days are the hallmark of the fall season, so come on out and enjoy the mid September days.  I got the website sorted out with my site manager, Chris Faulkenstein, this afternoon after shooting and we think it is working just right. 

Sorry about the small print but the program will not allow any different right now... we are working on it!

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

Zodiac:  The two mixed teams from yesterday are moving right along.  The lead team, Aaron Jones and friend Cristy, are moving along well.  Aaron is a guide from YMS and an original "Bridge Rat".  They were at the Nipple pitch when I left late in the day.

1)  Aaron in the middle of the Circle at midday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Nipple pitch seen from way out west, late in the day.  Aaron Jones at the belay.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below them another mixed team, Brian and Diana, were moving along a pitch behind the lead team.  

Lost in America:  Jim Bayer is doing very well.  I spotted him first thing this morning already past the so called “Mandatory Free Pitch”.  I think he did 2 or 3 pitches today.

 

New Dawn to Tribal Rite:  Solo, Kevin DeWeese is way above LLL and may now be on ECT for the night. 

3)  Kevin, a couple above LLL this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  The “Blue Team” Of Mark and Rob bivied on ElCap Tower last night and were climbing to Camp 5, as I departed this afternoon.  They have no haulbag and are carrying everything in a pack. 

4)  Rob, finishing the King Swing… actually missed it here but got it later, lower down, below the roof.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jo and Dennis were seen on the Alcove pitch late in the afternoon and are off by now.

5)  Seen here are Buck, Triscut, and Dave who bivied on Camp 5 and were climbing above the Changing Corners when I got this shot.  Dave is on the sharp end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower down, a Korean team of two women left their haul bags a couple below Dolt this afternoon and bailed after climbing to Dolt for the fun of it.

6)  Lower down a team of 4 sharply dressed Koreans (Not TER’s) climbed from Sickle Ledge this morning and are seen here, a long way from Dolt, late in the day.  Erik tells me the Korean's have been ripping it up for several weeks now... who are these guys?  Why don't they come by and say hi?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3D:  A team came into Camp 4, in midday, across the 3D Traverse and were seen later on the Great Roof.

Below them I watched a team of two climb from Mammoth Terrace in the morning, but bailed from 2 pitches higher late in the day.

Salathe:  The team of three men, two from Germany and one from Scotland climbed from Lung Ledge this morning and were seen climbing the pitch above the Ear as I departed.  Stephan is in green, Jan is in gray, and Andy is in red.

7)  The whole team, on the Hollow Flake pitch, this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Stephan, leading the Ear this afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Andy, cruising the pitch above the Ear late in the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Sunkist:  Matt Lambert and partner Keenan Waeschle, are seen here doing the most miserable task in big walling…. hauling freight up to Heart Ledge in the afternoon heat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  Dihedral to Horse Play:  I first saw Piton Pete lounging on his ledge in the early afternoon heat but when I returned around 5pm he was out on the lead on the Dihedrals third.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lurking Fear:  I spotted a couple of teams yesterday, but only noticed one this afternoon and they were bailing.

 

In other news:  Not anything worth mentioning at the moment.

So that’s the way it is, for this the 16^th day of September, 2013.

Later,

Capt. Tom