ElCap Report 9/27/2022

ElCap Report 9/27/22

By Tom Evans

Yo…The hot topic around here just happens to be the weather.  It has been sweltering for the past few days and looks to continue to the weekend.  This situation has severely affected the numbers of climbers on ElCap. Thus, the report is a bit on the thin side. We do have several solo climbers on “The Hill” as you will see below. As my FB followers learned recently.. I had my shooting kit fall to the deck resulting in my camera getting destroyed. I had to make the tiring drive to Fresno to get a new one.  Fortunately, the camera shop had one left and I got it. This would be a good time to donate to the site if you haven't yet. The camera ended up costing close to $900 and it is not cheap to live here in the Valley.  All donations are greatly appreciated!!  I do all this work so you can enjoy the events on the world's greatest climbing rock... our own... El Capitan!

 

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

1)  On the Shield, another team right behind Danford and Matt encountered Ravens that hovered nearby doing close fly-bys from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  I did get out west one afternoon and got this shot of Aaron Zanto and Todd Burks high on the Dihedral route.  They made a speedy ascent in trying conditions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  On the Nose I watched this all-woman team, of Hanna Kallweit and Stefanie Geissler, move smartly up the route. This shot caught them doing the traditional route to the start of the Gray Bands.  I also saw an all-woman on the Salathe.  One of the climbers, Margaret, had a nasty staff infection and she and her partner, Jenn, retired at Hollow Flace to seek medical atteniton.  The ladies are shining this season! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Here a team is hauling kit up the ECS on the Salathe. They are Croations... Rene Lisac and Bernard Bregar.are the climbers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  Today I spotted the team in pic 4 climbing to the Block on the Salathe route.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  South Seas to Pacific Ocean Wall:  I watched this sharp dressed solo climber move quickly along yesterday, low on the route. Here Chris Who? is leading the pitch after the so called “Sidewalk”.  He slowed down some today and “ledged-up for a time in the afternoon heat. Who is that guy?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7)  Next door on Mescalito, Adrien Costa  Is blitzing up the route faster than most teams I see. However, he didn’t get the word on the dress code. An interesting side note is that he only has one leg,and he reports his carbon foot was somehow broken on the pendulum and yet he continues!  This shot is of him doing the Molar Traverse Pendulum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  I spotted this two-man team climbing the famous Nipple pitch on Zodiac and since they had no bags I knew it was a push.  Their story continues below….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 and 10)  The team made excellent time all the way to Peanut Ledge and stopped for the night.  As the night progressed, they became convinced that they could not safely climb the pitch above as they only had one #5 cam and felt that was not enough.  They called YOSAR (Yosemite Search and Rescue) and asked to be rescued.  In the morning, four Rescue climbers (in yellow shirts) were sent up the East Ledges with ropes and soon two of them rappelled down the two rope lengths to the men. Ropes were fixed and the stranded climbers jugged out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Stranded climber jugging out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  After the two stranded climbers were up the YOSAR guys jugged out taking all the ropes with them.  It was over by early afternoon and all ended well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  My good friend, Marek Reganowicz, was trying to make the second ascent of “Nightmare on California Street” and came upon some really nasty old aluma-heads that had deteriorated badly in the 25 years since the first ascent.  He took a tumble on the second pitch when three pulled out.  Not being an expert on heading he chose to abandon the attempt as he was also suffering in the heat.  He said the first pitch (A-5) was the hardest he had ever climbed. He is presently moving all his kit over to Lunar Eclipse for a try at it.  He was down this afternoon to restock water and Earl Bates got this shot of us, hanging near my van, talking shit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13) I am including two shots I took with slide film many years ago to add some scenics to the report. The Three Brorthers at night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Upper and lower Yosemite Falls with a "moonbow" on the lower falls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Word from those in the know says that Camp 4 will open on Oct 1 without the new registration system. So, for the next few months it will be first come first served, like before the costly and highly unpopular Rec/com, scamming climbers out of their hard-earned money just to have a shot at getting a site. From the emails I have been receiving it appears that a fairly large group of big wall climbers will be soon arriving to get the Fall season in full swing. The hot weather is still the motivation crusher it has always been in the past. We await the cool breezes and warm sunshine of a normal October.  A nice puffy jacket floated down the face today... If you lost it on ElCap come on by the meadow or Cafe to pick it up.  Climbers often leave found items with me so feel free to check if you are missing something lost on the wall.

So, that’s the way it is, on this 27th day of September which also happens to be my son Tom’s, 50th BDay.  Best wishes to you son!!

Capt. Tom …back at the controls in the ECM!