ElCap Reports

ElCap Report 9/30/11
By Tom Evans

Yo… The perfect weather continues in spite of various long range forecasts.  The rock is damn near empty as I type these words.  WTF is up?!  Where are the climbers?  We do have a few new teams hiking to the base but none have appeared above the trees thus far.  So it is kind of thin pickings for a report today.  I will give you what I’ve got, but it isn’t much.
 

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

Zodiac:  Dan Mottinger did climb the Nipple yesterday evening and bivied there last night.  He was up and moving shortly after I arrived.  He climbed and hauled the MOZ pitch by early afternoon and will get the next pitch done before another bivy.  Some are suggesting he may make Peanut Ledge late in the evening if he pushes it a bit… I don’t think so…

1)  Dan breaking the bivy down.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mescalito:  Regan did one the crux pitches this morning and promptly ledged up in the afternoon sun.  It did look pretty warm up there today.
2)  Regan on the move.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nose:  There was only ONE team on the King today… amazing … where are the mobs, fighting and scratching for a place near the front, of an endless line of suitors?  Beats me!  The team climbing stayed at ECT yesterday and climbed to the start of the GR by the time I departed.  They did the King Swing well and should be resting at Camp 5 tonight.
3)  Hauling and cleaning on the Boot Flake.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4)  Hauling kit to the Gray Bands.  Ah those bare feet feel so good after a pitch in tight climbing shoes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Salathe:  All the action is up high on the route.  A large team was under the Roof as I started shooting today and were last seen heading around the corner for Freerider.  Another team was seen heading to the top.  On the Headwall Mayan and Sean were back at work trying for the send.  The conditions are not ideal for climbing the Headwall and they both had their problems as a result.

5)  Sean getting close to finishing the Headwall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6)  Sean off the pitch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excalibur:  This Czech team has caused quite a bit of anger among the other climbers, as they are tossing human waste and garbage off the cliff.  Several teams who passed by the landing zone at the base complained of the foul odor and garbage.  A couple of the locals are heading up to clean up the mess.  I can not stress enough how disgusting this long out of date practice is.  There is absolutely no excuse for this as it is completely against the local ethics and mountaineering ethics in general.  

Mystery of the Day.  This ledge fly was seen hanging on the cliff in the region of ZM this morning.  Later in the day it blew off the rock and landed at the base.  It did not come from the climber on Zodiac.  Yesterday's Mystery Flake was Nevada Flake.

7)  My favorite sunset from home this summer, in case you didn‘t see it before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In other news:  Several teams just off the Captain came by to chat and get some photos.  Otherwise, it was very quiet here.

Piton Pete appeared around noon looking like a man who had just spent 14 days on the wall!  The filth and odor were memorable!  We were bracing for the spray sure to come after this controversial ascent.  I had my raingear handy just in case it got to fire hose intensity.  However, it was an interesting story that seemed believable, for the most part, and brought up some questions about the condition of the route when they went on it.  I will let Pete and the lads tell it their way.

News from the Salathe is that some of the teams are leaving puddles of urine on some of the ledges.  You can’t do this people!!  Go in a bottle and dump it over the side later… and please men, not down the cracks on the route.  Ladies, it is your responsibility to figure out something that works for you, it ain’t rocket science you know…. Talk to some of the local women who figured it out long ago.  Conservation and consideration please!
Geeze….did you people grow up parented by apes in a zoo?

So that’s the way it is, for this Friday, the last day of September, 2011.
Why doesn’t the pump work?  Cheap cigar for the answer!
Chow, Tom