El Capitan Climber's Log

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paclimber

paclimber - Oct 13, 2004 6:10 pm

Route Climbed: Bushwack from Guadalupe Peak Trail Date Climbed: October 10, 2004  Sucess!

I don't know enough adjectives to describe this spectacular mountain. Views from atop the cliffs of El Capitan are breathtaking. Reading the other summit log entries, I guess I got lucky -- I had NO wind. It was a perfectly calm, cloudless day, temps in the mid 70's. Found mountain lion leg bones with flesh and hair still on them along my route. I wish I had more time to explore, but that's just a reason for me to return.

Brian Jenkins

Brian Jenkins - Apr 19, 2004 7:32 pm

Route Climbed: Bushwhack Date Climbed: April 17, 2004  Sucess!

Decended from Guadalupe Peak a bit further east on the trail, from just a bit past the last washout. Made my way over to the edge of the ridge slowly as I was busting bushes to make sure there were no rattlesnakes (Hey, I'm from Oregon. I just assume they are everywhere in Texas.) Neat ridge with terrific vertical walls. The wind was ferocious especially near the saddle where there appears to be a huge bite taken out of the ridge. It really was gusting through there and almost knocked me on my ass a few times.



Picked my way to what I thought was the summit where there was a nice little cairn. Looked further and there was another summit at the end of the ridge that appeared to be the same height. So, I HAD to hit that one too to make sure. Faint trail helped me easily get over there and sat on the edge of the big vertical drop and enjoyed a snack.



Headed back and once I hit the saddle the wind was BACK. I would bet it was at least 60 mph, if not more. Decided to take what looked like a mellower ridge back and picked the far right one as you look at Guadalupe Peak from El Cap's saddle. Made my way over there and then did some third class scrambling up on mostly bare rock. Wind knocked me into the rock several times. Got up high on the ridge and then traversed onto the next ridge over to the east. Once over that one I traversed more until I got back to the trail at the point of the first switchback after the bridge and pass there. Then cruised the trail back to camp and had some steaks. Very cool place.

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