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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Oct 23, 2007 - 09:17pm PT
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Ok... its Tuesday and another super day here in the Valley... weather, perfect... climbing conditions, totally sweet, climbers, eager... chics, hot... cafe food, awful... leaves, fading fast... tourons, abundent infestations.... Time left for you to get on the big Stone, plenty.... Gene Fisher, still stalling... So where are you? I know where you are, hiding behind the old excuse of family, job, bills, kids, etc.. etc... BOGUS, my friend ... totally BOGUS!! You can always take care of that stuff but just ask your selves, "how many fall days will I see this sweet in the valley?... am I going to live so long?" Well, let me tell you Dog, you aren't going to live forever and some day, in the, hopefully, distant future, while you are lying in bed gasping your last breath, you will think back with your last thought and wonder... "Why the hell didn't I go to Yosemite that fall of 2007?"... then bonk! You are gone for eternity... Is that what you want? Huh? Your last thoughts? Well suck it up chump and get out here.. some things are really important you know and Yosemite in the fall is high on the list!
With that thought still resounding in your head the ECR for today is brought to you by Gene Fischer, who was trying to lift the excessive rack of gear he assembled at the bridge today, racking KFC's brain to find a piece of specialized gear for every possible placement on Zodiac. He will need three porters just to carry the rack to the base!Good luck Gene!!! Todays ECR...
On the Water Front: Aaaarrrrggghhhh.. Well I did spy the crew on deck this morning at the top of the black choss pile that is the first 5 of the route. Capt. McNeeley was off navigating the first real pitch of the route while the other swabbies were lounging on the quarter deck trying to find some shade below the sails. It looked a wee bit warm over there this day... McNeeley was having some problems finding the way over the dangerous shoals and was fore and aft and all round for a while... late in the afternoon the Capt. retuned to the quarter deck for some grog, leaving the lines fixed high in the yards... it doesnt look good for this voyage as the way is uncertain and the crew short on time... we will see....aarrgghhh!
Zodiac: Adam was up and on the job when I arrived today.. he stayed at the top of 4 last night and pushed his lines up to the start of the black Tower pitch and was hauling as I was leaving around 3:30...wearing an awful brown shirt I might add.. I am tempted to stop shooting the lad as it takes a brave photographer to shoot into that pile of horse dung...
Trip: Well my men, KFC and Lance were by these guys yesterday on their 8.5 hour push on the Zodiac and reported some loud swearing between the members of this team ....turns out that they ARE Eastern Europeans... anyway, they were going on the last pitch as I left and still looked absolutely fabulous!!
Lower down... a horrific scene has developed in the lower depths of this EZ trade route... the so called, Invincible, North Carolina boys were biting down hard on the bitter pill of defeat...just one of several teams that the Trip has smacked down hard in the past week... well boys, maybe you can get in line on the South Face of the Column...No?
Nose: Ah yes... the ultimate classic, the beautiful, "easy woman" of the great rock... well the old gal is still alive and well and several teams are spending a little more time with her than planned or not spending much time at all... the bail rate is still around 50%.. so maybe she ain't so easy afterall!
The AMGA have sent out another NIAD team to assuage the wounds of recent days perhaps... Anyway ...out came the best of the crews in the persons of one, Miles Smart, Yosemite speed trained on the smooth granite of the big stone itself and fresh off a honeymoon cruise,up the route, with his wife, the lovely Liz, last week, and another guide who's name I didn't get at the AMGA meeting last evening. Surely these guys could mend any wounds inflicted upon the beleaguered organization. Anyway, Miles was thinking about a 10 to 12 hour climb today, so it was with some anticipation that I rolled onto the bridge today with all the guns mounted ready to disect their every move. I picked them up at the end of the infamous Jardine Traverse as Bruno (I don't know his name so I will use this one for him) was climbing the long pitch to Eagle ledge. Unfortunately for our boys, the three person team from yesterday, last seen crawling toward ECT late in the day, had just deposited their last person on the heretofor mentioned ledge, and had sent their leader out on the next pitch... so room was limited and the line was long. Bruno quickly dispatched his pitch with some sparkling free climbing at a high grade and was just able to wedge himself among the others crammed on the small ledge... their leader was about 8 moves up using advanced direct aid techinques on the difficult 5.8 section just above the ledge... this was not going to be pretty... Soon Miles arrived, after sprinting up the pitch at such a rapid rate that one of the tourons watching thru my scope shouted..."My God, that man is actually running up the rock like a lizzard!!" Miles soon wedged himself in among others... the smell must have been awful... anyway... a scuffle soon broke out as Miles, using the polite "guide talk" taught by the AMGA, who's moto is "treat all climbers as though they are clients", told the other teams honcho that he was going to kick his ass if they were not allowed to pass immediately!! Miles then puffed out his chest and reached for his nut tool while their man went for a number 4 camalot... it was a tense standoff for a moment but reason prevailed and the speedy guides were allowed to pass but had to climb the pitch behind the leader to the next stance...Soon, however, the boys had put that situation to bed and Bruno lead the pitch to the traverse ledge in another display of really nice, speedy free climbing... well... he did grab a few slings here and there... but so did the Hubers!!!
Quickly the boys were passing the NZ guys who were deep into day 3 and probably weren't even aware that they were passed. They flashed up the great roof with Bruno again speeding right along like an old Yosemite veteran... I last saw them around 2pm stepping over to the glowering spot... looked to me like they just might get that 10hr NIAD they were seeking... the folks at AMGA are breathing a sigh of relief at the office tonight! The Boys came through!! Beers for everyone!
There were of course many others on the route... parties of three, parties of two, who can count how many?... they were all moving upward, some rapidly... some barely. The NZ boys were heading for camp 5 it appeared and were just getting on the GR when I left... if they push hard they may get off tomorrow late. A team of two was seen going over the top around 1pm and the two from the supposed NIAD yesterday were not seen today at all and I assume they were able to climb off last night or early this morning. We are all breathless with anticipation at the coming days events.... yeah.... really.... well... maybe..
Shield: This mixed team was high on the route today with the guy leading the long pitch to just below Chickenhead ledge.. the gal was decked out in her nice powder blue camisole top and matching headband and was quite comfortable at the belay as the wind was nonexistant and the temps warm.. She then stepped up and had some "real fun" cleaning a line of overdriven pins a mile long... not detered, she lead the pitch to Chickenhead Ledge in early afternoon... who is this mystery woman and her manly partner??? Well it turns out they are a French team!
Salathe/Free Rider.. Did see a team going past Sus Le Toit and to the headwall this afternoon.. a long rope, maybe Alex's, was hanging down there all day and some activity was seen around it later .... anyway the team climbing the route seemed unaffected and proceeded to Long ledge...
In other news... went to the "event" last night which was not a patagonia thing but, an AMGA meeting. They did have a patagonia person there in the person of Lynn Hill... Doug Robinson was also there as were a lot of guides I had never heard of or seen before. They were a cordual group and talked endlessly among themselves during the silent auction for a pile of goods. I left before the programs and later heard that Lynn had a nice presentation that was well received by all... good fun...
Here at the bridge it was another beautiful day... no wind and quite warm... the SE face of the Cap looked to be in early summer conditions and several parties were seen sporting shirts on their heads to keep cool....
I talked to a good friend down south in SoCal at home and she told me that the big fire was about a mile from my house and that the entire mountain community was closed to all. So I guess I will have to stay here until they open the roads home...hopefully I will have something to come home to....
Well anyway... come on out... a week of good weather is forecast and the conditions are great...
BTW ... congrats to Lance and KFC on their speedy climb of Zodiac... Lance said at breakfast it was the best EC climb he had ever done and not slogging up the route is the best part.. fast and light and supper in the cafe!!
So thats the way it is on this the 23rd day of October 2007.. come on out.... so long...
Tom Evans
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mori mno
Social climber
hb
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Oct 23, 2007 - 09:24pm PT
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Thanks a bunch for the update, Tom.
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T2
climber
Cardiff by the sea
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Oct 23, 2007 - 09:29pm PT
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Nice report Tom. Once again I live vicariously through your reports. It seems like a whole season has past already since I was in the valley.
I wish the Pirates all the best.
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twototrango
Boulder climber
Vista, Ca
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Oct 23, 2007 - 10:04pm PT
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Hey, its me again. Can I get some more info on a group of three guys on The Trip. They started Monday (I am hoping!) and they are from southern california. Leader's name is either Greg, Jeremy or Trevor.
Greg is my brother and I would like to hear the latest on their trip, being stuck between multiple infernos in so cal.
Thanks again!
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nita
climber
chico ca
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Oct 23, 2007 - 10:45pm PT
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Hey elcapics, in case you didn't see this on the other thread; fire updates from your area. My sister-in-law just mandatorily evacuated from Crestline.
http://www.rimoftheworld.net/
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 23, 2007 - 11:15pm PT
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Thanks, Tom.
I have some friends who are starting on Freerider on Wednesday. Jason and Will. They have all their stuff at Heart Ledge. Keep an eye out for them - though I gather a lot of that area isn't visible from the bridge.
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2007 - 11:20pm PT
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Yo Nita... thanks for the update... getting pretty close to my place... just hoping for the best... thanks Tom
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 23, 2007 - 11:21pm PT
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No one is left on the trip now... all the parties in the past several days have bailed... Tom
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 23, 2007 - 11:37pm PT
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...just one of several teams that the Trip has smacked down hard in the past week... well boys, maybe you can get in line on the South Face of the Column...No?
ooooohhhh...harsh tokes dude!
nice report, especially the AMGA comentarty! Tom, you should be getting paid for this!
I'm really trying hard to figure out how to come down there in the next few days....
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Oct 23, 2007 - 11:49pm PT
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Thanks for another great report Tom.
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nick d
Trad climber
nm
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Oct 24, 2007 - 12:06am PT
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Good luck to you Tom, and to all those who share your plight.
Michael
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Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
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Oct 24, 2007 - 12:19am PT
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re"Lower down... a horrific scene has developed in the lower depths of this EZ trade route... the so called, Invincible, North Carolina boys were biting down hard on the bitter pill of defeat...just one of several teams that the Trip has smacked down hard in the past week... well boys, maybe you can get in line on the South Face of the Column...No? "
i really enjoy almost all of these reports of yours, but please remember that these folks are there to climb, and to test themselves, not to impress you or anyone else. i think it ought to be possible to compliment those who impress you without being condescending toward those who do not. just my $.02
edit-(deleted)
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2007 - 01:00am PT
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Your $.02 is noted.... who were those guys? No one knows... so what is the harm in a little joking around...plus I have no climbing skills left and am but an old man... so condsecention is not a thing I can pull off anymore... I couldnt even hike a good sized load up there!!!.. but thanks for your imput...
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Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
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Oct 24, 2007 - 01:21am PT
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i never get the feeling that you are in any way trying to be mean, but i always wonder-
someone who is not yet ammon mcneely may read your "reports" when they get home from their long planned and dreamed about trip to YV and perhaps they don't need to hear that they do not belong there (i.e ought to be on WC if they can't do the EZ EC routes), or that you called them on using a cheater stick, etc. i remember reading something about cmac's spectacular failure on an early wall attempt- it does happen to everyone, part of the game, doesn't mean they have to go climb nutcracker.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Oct 24, 2007 - 01:27am PT
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I agree with Matt - the climber's perspectives and experiences may be different from the observer's, even a seasoned and kind-hearted one. The article in the new Rock & Ice, juxtaposing Tom's posts about an ascent last spring with "from the inside" comments, illustrates that.
But I still like Tom's posts.
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Oct 24, 2007 - 01:33am PT
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Tom
Tell KFC he can do it faster.
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mori mno
Social climber
hb
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Oct 24, 2007 - 02:12am PT
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Tom, I enjoy reading your reports. They're fun to read--keep'em coming.
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 24, 2007 - 10:53am PT
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Geeze ... about once a season some of you guys start to take everything I write seriously... lighten up... these are the meaningless ramblings of a man who actually knows very little about what is really going on... much of it is made up based on some flimsy assumptions that come through a telescope.. it is not a serious critique by some "authority" who knows everything... it is merely written as light entertainment for some climbing geeks... my opinions, as I have said many times are worthless drivel... hollywhiner figured that out a long time ago... so dont get all offended. You all seem to be trying to make me into some kind of climbing guru with some mystical power to see and evaluate... I am not... I am just a guy who happens to be here taking photos so some climbers can have shots to remember from their adventures and write this ECR as mild, meaningless entertainment and have this position totally by default, as no one else is even remotely interested in doing it ... nothing more... so get over it for goodness sake...
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Oct 24, 2007 - 12:14pm PT
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nothing wrong with a little ribing towards bailers, cheat stickers, piton over-drivers, etc...they deserve it!
anyway, most El Cap climbers are pretty thick skinned (aside from the occasional chick). Trust me, after you've climbed El Cap, no comentary posted on the net is going to take away from that experience...
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WanderlustMD
Trad climber
Lanham MD
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Oct 24, 2007 - 12:47pm PT
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I saw your comments as clearly in jest Tom. Thanks for the reports and keep them coming!
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