ElCap Report 9/28/2019

ElCap Report 9/28/2019

By Tom Evans

Yo… The weather has changed, the skies are dark and foreboding with some showers.  I am hanging in the café with the crew, staying dry and talking shit.  The Face Lift has, as expected, reduced the action on ElCap.  As a result, I haven’t had much to shoot but the big trade routes… so you get a lethal dose of familiar features today.  It has been unseasonably warm these past days and we await fall weathers return.  Later in the day now... the clouds cleared around noon but the wind is up and the temperature has dropped.  Looking at some rain late tonight or tomorrow morning.  I'm hanging in the Mt. Room Bar this evening.

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

1) Zodiac fell to a push in 15 hours by Chris Trull and Jon Rigg.  Here Jon is leading the pitch into the Great White Circle. Notice the Lightning Bolt Roofs, on ZM, in the left of the shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Higher on Jon’s block, he took an unexpected 30 footer that I caught at the end.  Chris Trull ducked out of the way expecting to be hit by Jon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Higher I caught Jon passing the nipple of the classic Nipple Pitch on Zodiac.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  On Mescalito, Kelly Fields and partner Roddy, made steady progress and topped out yesterday afternoon.  Here they are several days ago at the start of the Molar Traverse.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5)  A couple of days after the shot above I caught them hauling kit to the top of the Bismarck after their bivy at the excellent ledge below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Later yesterday, I took this shot of them on the next to the last pitch of Mescalito.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Nose is by far the most popular route on the cliff and the following are some shots taken over the last few days.

7)  Now this is what I call a well-dressed team! Seen working their way up the Stove Leg crack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8)  The best dressed team of the day is seen here just below the top of Dolt Tower.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9)  Jon Griffin and Leah Pappajohn did a NIAD (Nose in a Day) a few days ago.  Here Jon is back-cleaning gear from the bolt ladder off Texas Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10)  Here is a long view from way out west, of the upper dihedral on the Nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11)  A long view of a team on the pitch above the Glowering Spot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12)  Leah Pappajohn seen here leading toward the end of the Pancake Flake pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13)  Over on Freerider, I got this team starting the Monster Crack one afternoon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14)  Long view of the roof and headwall pitches on the Salathe Wall.  Lower team is on FreeRider Traverse, the leader just starting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15)  Earlier in the day yesterday, I got this shot of Brad Gobright on the Jardine Traverse.  He took a nice plunge just after this shot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16)  Hanging in the cafe with the crew this morning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  The Face Lift is still the big event at the moment.

So that’s the way it is on this Saturday, the 28th day of Sept. 2019.

Capt. Tom.. bangin away… just for you.