ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/27/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… Man, another perfectly beautiful day here in Yosemite!  The Cap is filling with climbers but mostly on The Big Two.  Conditions look solid for some time, so the invitation stands… get here!  The rescue from yesterday was finished up this morning by hauling the remaining climber and Ranger Jeff Webb up to the top of the cliff.  The whole thing was in the books by noon.  A job well done.
 

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

Zodiac:  Jay bailed from the top of the 4th today.  The other solo, Dan Mottinger, from Eldo, did get three fixed yesterday but didn’t show today.

Continental Drift:  Neil went out on lead at the amazingly early hour of 10am!  These guys are getting serious now… hell they may be off by tomorrow!  He put up a difficult lead that took many hours.  It didn’t look easy!  He was still at it when I left in early afternoon.
1)  Neil starting out on today’s lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  Regan continued up the long right leaning corner and seemed to be on cruise control.
2)  Regan working up the long right leaning corner on Mescalito.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Dawn:  Ryan and Alex moved several pitches above Wino Tower by afternoon.  They should just make it off tomorrow.  So far so good.
3)  Ryan and Alex hauling kit above Wino Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Nose:  YOSAR finished up yesterdays rescue this morning by hauling the crew out from Camp 5.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The three man team who climbed the Legs yesterday spent a leisurely morning on ECT before earning the much coveted….
5)  BAIL OF THE DAY!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Higher up two parties of two and a party of three were active.  The last party cleared the GR by early afternoon.  I did see a party of two go over the top around 2pm.

Salathe:  The route is more jammed than I have ever seen it!  Parties of two, three, and 4 slugged it out at the belays.  There were several teams above the Spire too.  On the Bright Side….. Most of the climbers were sporting colorful outfits that made for some fun shooting.
6)  Climbing the Half Dollar the hard way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Some parties are hauling so much kit it took three people to move it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  Excalibur team pulling along side of a Salathe team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Matt Ciancio and Cody Sims turning the Roof to the final pitches on Freerider which they did in about 15 hours .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excalibur:  A team of two, Slovenians I think, came into view above and behind the Hollow Flake this morning and continued smartly to the Alcove by the time I departed.

In other news:  Tommy Caldwell has organized porters to start moving his kit up to the top of the Cap so he and Kevin can get working on their long term project.  The Bridge was nice today as the lazy days of Fall have befallen us.  
I need to some rest… so …
That’s the way it is for this Tuesday, the 27th day of September, 2011.
Later Tom