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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 15, 2008 - 12:09am PT
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ElCap Report 8/13 8/14/08
By Tom Evans
Yo.. Well I made it up here a couple of days ago to do some testing of a new 800mm Canon L lens I recently purchased. I wasn’t going to bother writing a report but I figured you Cubicle Pukes and vicarious wall rats would be pretty depressed by now and jonesin for some real ElCap Reporting. I know you sometimes have to resort to reading stuff from others, but come on now, you and I both know that there is nothing even close to getting the real sh#t from the man you trust to deliver the dope on all the dopes on the Big Stone. So here it comes straight to you from the “All American” climbing team of Budd and Curt who have come from Americas heartland, to get the speed record on the Nose back in the hands of a totally American team. More on these guys later….
So sound the alarm, man your battle stations, push the throttles to full power because here it comes…. Today’s ElCap Report…
Zodiac: Yesterday I shot these guys as they climbed from the start of the white circle to the Mark of Zorro pitch. They were not fast but didn’t waste much time. Today they climbed to the top of the climb and I saw them starting the last pitch late in the evening so they are most likely off as I type these words. I, of course, have no idea who they are but they got the job done in nasty heat and poor air quality.
Cleaning the belay, start of the White Circle.
Starting the nipple pitch Zodiac
Bivy below the Mark of Zorro Zodiac
Pacific Ocean Wall. I saw these guys yesterday climbing off the Continental Shelf and they were really taking their time. Today they were spotted heading toward the start of the Bearing Straits. Supposedly they are two brothers out for some fun. I hope they have plenty of water as these conditions are tough.
Climbing off the Continental Shelf Pacific Ocean Wall
Nose: Yesterday I saw some parties doing the first 4 pitches but no one higher. Today a German and Austrian team climbed from sickle ledge way up to the Boot Flake. They moved along well doing a blend of French free and free climbing. Camp 5 tomorrow and off next day?
I did see another team, with two red shirts, late in the day, in the middle of the stove legs. Around 6pm I went down and shot Aaron and Corbin, who are doing a Nose-Half Dome link up. They started around 4pm today and were smoking up the route. A long night awaits the lads! Good luck!
Austrian/German team in the Stovelegs
Corbin passing a slower team late in the day.
I did see a team of two hauling to Sickle late in the day and some bags fixed to the top of the ledge. I don’t know who is who up there but the route is getting some attention even with the present conditions.
Hauling bags to Sickle Ledge, Nose Route
In other news: I did run into several of the usual suspects in the café and around the ECBridge these past days. Winky is here and was spending some time with Budd and Curt, for whom he seems to be some kind of manager, as he seems to know all about the lads. Clay Usinger (aka Dude 1) is off to solo the NWFHD while KFC and Corbin Usinger (aka Dude 2) are off to do the link up of the Nose and Dome. KFC seems to have made a complete recovery from his shoulder injury and is psyched to get back to the game. The Tourons are as thick as flies on a buffalo carcass. The weather is anything but encouraging. Most of the SAR folks have headed to the high country for some relief, save for Scott and Skyler who are holding down the fort. I did see Irv and Lisa Oppenheim who teamed up with their son Daniel to do Southern Man, on the SFWC with the help of some of the local talent. I am out of here tomorrow as the weekend can’t be anything but hot and crowded. The air was not the best, as mentioned above, and thus I did have some difficulty getting the shots I wanted with the new lens. Fortunately I got some shots in the full shade that were an indication of the performance I could expect from the lens.
So that’s the way it is for these the 13th and 14th of August 2008. I will see you again at the ECBridge around the 20th of Sept. Take care and be happy.
I’m out of here…. ElCap-pics
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Captain...or Skully
Big Wall climber
Yonder (in the sagebrush)
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Aug 15, 2008 - 12:17am PT
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Some good glass ya got there, Tom.....
Missed ye!(Ya scurvy dog)
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Jingy
Social climber
Flatland, Ca
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Aug 15, 2008 - 12:22am PT
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WOW... WOW... WOW... !!!!!
Tom, you've brought your A-game!!!!
Nice gun!!!!
Super clear, good contrast, great detail...
I'm green with envy!
Good to see you back... Not back for the long haul (I guess) but just to test!!!
Can't wait for the new and super-improved ElCap report!
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stevep
Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
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Aug 15, 2008 - 12:23am PT
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Wow, nice pics. Looks like a good lens investment.
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BrassNuts
Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
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Aug 15, 2008 - 12:52am PT
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Thanks for the mid summer's update on the big stone via your new lens... We'll be out in the Yo late September, so we'll drop by the bridge hang and say hey...
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up2top
Big Wall climber
Phoenix, AZ
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Aug 15, 2008 - 02:11am PT
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Those shots are freakin amazing! Hell, that may be as close as I ever get to Sickle Ledge. A very nice surprise, Tom. Thank you.
Ed
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ricardo-sf
Sport climber
San Francisco
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Aug 15, 2008 - 02:57am PT
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damm tom ..
whats next .. you going to hook that thing up to a 2x multiplier so you can take a picture of the silverfish on zodiac?
(i'm jealous)
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Aug 15, 2008 - 04:03am PT
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marked improvement! Can't wait till fall!
Can't retire now Tom!
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captain chaos
climber
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Aug 15, 2008 - 07:06am PT
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Great shots Tom... those are hands down the best pics taken from from the valley floor that I've ever seen- nice, really nice.
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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Aug 15, 2008 - 08:03am PT
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Tom
You're too hard on yourself--those pics are primo!!!
We missed the reports--glad you're back, if only
temporarily. Yes, we cubicle rats need this vicarious
stuff!!!
Muchos Thanx!
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Offset
climber
slc
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Aug 15, 2008 - 11:37am PT
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Amazing how clear the pics are! Awesome! thanks Tom...
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Aug 15, 2008 - 01:25pm PT
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Glad to hear Aaron is back in the game. See you in a month - woo-hoo!!!
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Ottawa Doug
Social climber
Ottawa, Canada
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Aug 15, 2008 - 01:46pm PT
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Bump for the sweet pics.
Cheers,
Doug
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Nefarius
Big Wall climber
Fresno, CA
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Aug 15, 2008 - 01:48pm PT
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Nice, Tom! I think you'll be pleased with the lens. I can already see the difference. sharper and less murky than the telescope rig.
See you next month!
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Gene
climber
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Aug 15, 2008 - 01:59pm PT
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Tom,
What all them guys said!! Great stuff.
Gene
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GhoulweJ
Trad climber
Sacramento, CA
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Aug 15, 2008 - 03:10pm PT
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Pictures:....WOW!
Tom,
Thanks!
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 15, 2008 - 07:56pm PT
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Yo... back home now... thanks for the comments... Tom
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
Boulder, Colorado!
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Aug 15, 2008 - 08:00pm PT
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Hurry back Tom. The reports really are some of the best things here on the taco. We NEED them!
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Bullwinkle
Boulder climber
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Aug 16, 2008 - 11:25am PT
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Colonel,
Just thought you'd like to know the boys (Bud and Curt) put up a 4:50 on the Nose yesterday. Not bad for their third run at it, close to the American record. Whats next? perhaps the World Record? this year? DF
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