Astroman's Pre-History

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Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 21, 2008 - 02:09pm PT
Given Astroman's importance in rock climbing history and given that we have 2/3 of the first ascent team posting on this board, I'd be really interested in hearing the story of the first ascent. i.e., whose idea was it?, what was the feeling when you started up?, when you finished?, did you feel you had done something historic? I'd like to hear all of it.
marky

climber
Jan 21, 2008 - 02:18pm PT
seconded
WBraun

climber
Jan 21, 2008 - 02:24pm PT
I should tell Kauk to make a guest appearance. He's an occasional lurker sometimes.
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 21, 2008 - 02:25pm PT
That would be great, Werner.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Jan 21, 2008 - 02:30pm PT
FWIW

I object.
You are talking about the FFA of the Harding East Face.
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 21, 2008 - 02:51pm PT
I'd be happy to hear about the first ascent of the East Face of Washington Column from participants of the ascent also, Ron, but climbing progressed and the route got free climbed.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Jan 21, 2008 - 02:58pm PT
Precisely.
That's all.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 21, 2008 - 11:54pm PT
Your odds for a tale are pretty good even without Ron. Harding Slot ahoy! Hugh Herr about to negotiate the bizness with a lean two or three chimney pitches of any grade under his belt! He did great! His kneecaps suffered badly.

WBraun

climber
Jan 21, 2008 - 11:59pm PT
There's a new route variation to Astroman that hasn't been done yet to the right.

Me and Croft were both looking at it. It goes through a huge terrifying off-width roof up high.

Yikes!

Who will do?
john hansen

climber
Jan 22, 2008 - 12:15am PT
Harding's East face,, Astroman, they were both ground breaking climb's in thier time.
What other routes went to the top of WC in 57?
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jan 22, 2008 - 12:18am PT
Shouldn't the thread title be "Astroman's Genesis", or something like that? Astroman's pre-history, in human terms, is the story of the East Face of Washington Column. Stories about both fine by me, though.

Does anyone still do it as an aid climb, or perhaps a largely free, partly aid climb?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 22, 2008 - 01:13am PT
It began and ended with a rockin' Hendrix tune!

Here I come to save the day

A little boy inside a dream just the other day
His mind fell out of his face and the wind blew it away
A hand came out from heaven and pinned a badge on his chest
It said get out there, man, and do your best

They call him astro man
And hes flyin higher than
That faggot superman ever could

Oh, they call him cosmic nut
And hes twice as dense as donald duck
And hell try his best toscrew you up
The rest of your mind
Oh, look out! my guitars

Astro man, flyin across the sky two times higher
Than that old faggot superman ever, ever could
Ever could

There he goes, there he goes
Where he stops, no one knows
There he goes, there he goes
He's tryin to, tryin to blow out the rest of your mind
He's gonna blow out the rest of your mind
Talkin about lookin for peace of mind
Astro man will leave it in pieces
Have you put our trouble behind him
Make you fly around in pieces
Yeah, blow out the rest of your mind
Astro man will blow out the rest of your mind
He's gonna blow out the rest of your mind

Those boys went out and did their best!
James

climber
A tent in the redwoods
Jan 22, 2008 - 01:15am PT
Steve,
Is that Hugh Herr-the "mechanical boy"?
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 22, 2008 - 01:27am PT
Yup. Before he had his little mishap. We did the route in six hours hauling a small pack. It was one of my best days out to be sure.
James

climber
A tent in the redwoods
Jan 22, 2008 - 01:28am PT
Herr musta been what...sixteen seventeen then? Hardmen.
Jesus! You guys are burly.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 22, 2008 - 01:38am PT
Hardlad. And all of sixteen, I think.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 22, 2008 - 02:02am PT
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 22, 2008 - 11:06am PT
Ahh, hanging from the spike jug just before the suppository crux! You probably didn't have a bad time in there Jaybro.
Mimi

climber
Jan 22, 2008 - 11:23pm PT
bump for one of the Fifty Faves per Sue McDevitt in Mark Kroese's cool book.

Climbers on Astroman's famous third pitch, the sustained Enduro Corner, Jared Ogden photo.

Mark Kroese photo.

Supertopo.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 26, 2008 - 02:14pm PT
bump for murse. And a Largo story.

Astroman is the real deal and has hard climbing in all categories. Half of the pitches can easily buck you off. The Changing Corners and final pitch involve hard committing face climbing to top off the amazing crack climbing.

Largo, never did get your tale of the outside of the wide on the Harding Slot...
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 28, 2008 - 01:40pm PT
JB and Largo- had any of you guys been up on the East Face before the freeclimbing explorations began?
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Jan 28, 2008 - 04:09pm PT
I'm at work and can't spell this out thoroughly. Steve Wunch and Jim Doninni had been up to the enduro corner. Bachar and Kauk went up and freed tht one. A few years before I did the wall aid/free style and did the pitches up to the Slot and after the changing corners pitches (at 5.10d). The biggest question on the FFA was the last pitch, which was very sketchy because the only pro were stacked, tied off pins and it didn't follow the old aid line and was mossy. After it cleaned up it was only 10d but on the FFA if felt like 12d and I thought if I ripped I was going for a huge one. I think there's a bolt there but not on the FFA.

Kauk went back shortly after our ascent and led all the pitches, starting a trend and in my mind, baging the most significant free ascent to that point. Bachar repeated the trick soon thereafter and I went back up later as well.

More later.

JL
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 28, 2008 - 08:19pm PT
I remember that last pitch clearly. No bolts when I was there.
Right off the ledge, some hard 11a-ish cranks past a couple of reasonable fixed pins on steep rock soon gives way to slab climbing up a thinning and slightly decomposing longboard of a flake. More pins but these ones weren't staying put if things got wild!. Finally, after miles of crack work you have to step out left away from the flake on pure friction scoops for a half dozen moves to the thank god rotten ear and a reliable piece once the overeager hand jam is displaced!

Just like that you're sitting down taking in the view of Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon!
WBraun

climber
Jan 28, 2008 - 08:34pm PT
Yeah

We talked about it during Tissack, Kauk and I. He wanted to do the first continuous all free ascent. I told him after we get down and I'll jumar and you lead all the pitches.

Ron really wanted to do it and we agreed to our idea.

We bivied at the base the night before because Ron thought it would probably take all day and wanted to make sure we got off before dark. Hahaha

We got to the last pitch around 11:00 in the morning. Ron was jokingly complaining to me that I'm jumaring too fast and he has no time to rest.

Bachar rides his bike about the time we are at the base of the last pitch to see what the state of the ascent is at.

He scans the route and doesn't see us anywhere and assumes a conclusion that we couldn't have completed the route that early and we must have bailed and are descending from the base or are already back at the deli.

We see him at the deli and he asks Ron why we bailed ......
Brutus of Wyde

climber
Old Climbers' Home, Oakland CA
Jan 28, 2008 - 08:53pm PT
"Does anyone still do it as an aid climb, or perhaps a largely free, partly aid climb?"

Many.
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Jan 28, 2008 - 08:57pm PT
word
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2008 - 09:18pm PT
There are bolts on the last pitch now?

I seem to remember a 1" angle stuck in a hole and tied off was the protection till you reached that crappy flake.
Elcapinyoazz

Social climber
Joshua Tree
Jan 28, 2008 - 09:32pm PT
No, there are not bolts on the last pitch.
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 28, 2008 - 10:38pm PT
One day Ron and I were looking for something new to do and Ron said there was this cool looking corner pitch at the base of Washington Column. We hiked up and it did indeed look pretty rad for the time. We did the first pitch and sat on the ledge looking at this boulder problem layback with a fixed pin in it. We weren't clear that it would go. I gave it a try first and started doing it. I got to the ledge at the base of the corner and decided to belay there and bring up Ron. He lead the next pitch first try as well and we rapped off. All in all, it seemed like a pretty cool short free route that would soon be a Valley classic.

Later that evening we ran into Largo at the Mountain Room Bar and he asked what we did that day. We told him we freed the third pitch of the East Face of the Column. His eyes widened in semi disbelief and said the whole route might go free. He said we should go up and try to free the whole thing.

We did, more or less.

The real first free ascent goes to Ron when he lead every pitch without falling. I did the second and Dale did the third in the same flawless style that was established by Ron Kauk.

Croft turned it into a boulder problem. Man, times do change.
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2008 - 11:04pm PT
Dale did the "fourth" ascent, eh? I always thought it was Ray and Vern.
Jello

Social climber
No Ut
Jan 28, 2008 - 11:27pm PT
Astroman was always a goal, but I never got back to the Valley between 1971 and 1986. Then, I had just one extra day after a trade show in Long Beach. I caught a bus up to Yosemite in the evening and met my old Colorado buddy, Randy Joseph. We had a few bears and went to bed. Got up in the morning and did the classic route, visions of Kauk, Bachar, Long and Werner in our heads the whole time. The route lived up to it's reputation for variety and quality. I blew it at the top of the enduro pitch with a sloppy fall. Randy rectified that and we continued to swing leads. The last pitch was a let-down, though. I was totally ready for a scare-fest, and was amazed when it was all over after a few moderately difficult moves.

The descent, on the other hand, was sketchy indeed!

-AstroJello
Oli

Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:16am PT
Mark,
Not sure if you've seen my history of free climbing (Wizards of Rock). I got some good first hand commentary from Bachar and Long, and probably others, detailing the history of the first free ascent.

All the best,

Pat Ament
James

climber
A tent in the redwoods
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:26am PT
I wonder how often this thing gets onsighted. It's within mortal reach but doesn't get done much. Lucho fired and Honnold and probably a couple of other hardmen but I know a lot more people that haven't onsighted as have.
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 29, 2008 - 03:27am PT
My first time, I 'took a biscuit', as the Brits used to say, near the end of enduro, just as the sun enveloped the scene. Maybe should not have closed the mtn room the night before? Got it together to lead the harding slot, though.
Climbswithtits

Social climber
Fresno
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:55am PT
Actual History of Astroman:

The features in Yosemite Valley are made of granitic rock that was emplaced as plutons miles deep during the late Cretaceous. Over time the Sierra Nevada was uplifted and this rock was exposed at the surface where it was modified by erosion.

The oldest of these granitic rocks occur along the Merced River Gorge west of the valley and are thought to be 114 million years old. The El Capitan pluton intruded the valley forming most of the granitic rock that makes up much of the central part of the valley including Cathedral Rocks, Three Brothers and of course El Capitan. The youngest pluton of Yosemite Valley is the 87 million year old Half Dome granodiorite which makes up most of the rock seen at Glacier Point, the Royal Arches and its namesake Half Dome.


Cathedral Rocks at SunsetFor the last 30 million years, glaciers have periodically filled much of the valley. The most current glaciation, the Wisconsinian was not, however, the most severe. Ice ages previous to the Wisconsinian were colder and lasted longer. Their glaciers were huge and covered nearly all the landmarks around Yosemite Valley except Half Dome, Eagle Peak, Sentinel Dome, and the top of El Capitan. Wisconsinan glaciers, however, only reached Bridalveil Fall in the valley. The glaciers widened the valley, but much of its width is in fact due to previous stream erosion and mass wasting along vertical joints in the valley's walls.

After the retreat of many of these glaciers, a stand of Lake Yosemite developed. The valley floor owes its flatness to sediment deposited by these stands (the last glaciers in the valley were small and did not remove much old lake sediment). The last stand of Lake Yosemite was about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) long and was impounded by a terminal moraine near the base of El Capitan. It was later filled by sediment, becoming a swampy meadow.

The parallel Tenaya Canyon and Little Yosemite Canyon glaciers were, at their largest, 2,000 feet (600 m) deep where they flowed into the Yosemite Valley near the base of Half Dome. They also formed Cloud's Rest behind Half Dome as an arête.

Near Glacier Point there is 2,000 feet (600 m) of mostly glacial sediment with at least six separate sequences of Lake Yosemite sediments. Here, huge and highly erosive pre-Wisconsinan glaciers are thought to be responsible for excavating the bedrock valley floor, and much smaller Wisconsinan glaciers were responsible for depositing glacial debris.
Roger Breedlove

climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Jan 29, 2008 - 09:14am PT
"Croft turned it into a boulder problem. Man, times do change."

Nice line, John.

Speaking of prehistory, Alan Bard and I nailed the route as a warm up to the Salathe, but we were looking at all the pitches as free possibilities. I remember that the possibility of it going free was talked about in C4 before we climbed the route. Later, that season or the next, I told Royal at a RockCraft session that I thought it would go free--not that I could do it or knew when someone else would.

Royal scoffed and said it would never go free. I gave him a serious look and asked him how he could say that with such definition--everything was going free in the early 70s.

He sort of smiled, realized that he was on shaking ground, and said, "If it never goes free, I will have been right."

My reply was, "Yeah, but someday you will be wrong. Predicting it will go free is much safer."

I think Ron, John and John did it the next spring.

Now that it is a boulder problem, maybe I should try it. "Astroman, the uncut delusion."
Prod

Social climber
Charlevoix, MI
Jan 29, 2008 - 09:43am PT
Great thread.

How did you guys come up with the name?

Prod.
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 29, 2008 - 10:03am PT
We had a tape deck with us and that seemed to be the song that we played when things looked tough....

Here I come to save the day.

A little boy inside a dream just the other day
His mind fell out of his face and the wind blew it away
A hand came out from heaven and pinned a badge on his chest
It said get out there, man, and do your best

They call him Astroman
And he's flying higher than
That old faggot superman ever could

Roger Breedlove

climber
Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Jan 29, 2008 - 10:38am PT
Hey John, if you guys were Astromen, who might Superman have been?

Just asking?

Buzz
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Jan 29, 2008 - 10:57am PT
If I was still climbing in the Valley all the time I'd strt probling the wall to the left of the S. Face (Bridwell Faint route area) because there's some cool looking stuff to do over there that will surely go free. I was always meaning to go over there as well as over to the left side of Sentinel but never made it to those places - shucks! Big vert walls, both of those. And vert with features, which are always promising.

JL
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:07am PT
The old fashioned supermen were the same crew that said it wouldn't go free.........
marky

climber
Jan 29, 2008 - 01:33pm PT
http://www.last.fm/music/Jimi+Hendrix/+videos/+1-943P72Px2bQ
bhilden

Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
Jan 29, 2008 - 01:51pm PT
With apologies to the late, great Warren Harding here is my (sort of) Astroman story.

One night a few friends of mine wandered into the old Mountain Room Bar and there was Warren Harding sitting there drinking wine. One of my friends introduced me to Warren as "one of the young guns" and as I was wearing white painter's pants at the time, I guess I looked the part.

Warren was pretty drunk and he started mumbling how the East Face of the Column would never go free. In his funk, he grabbed my arm and started trying to drag me out of the bar saying that he wanted to see me do the route free. Warren was sloshing red wine all over my nice, white pants and my friends were trying to gently pry me from his death grip. This comic scene continued for a few minutes, Warren continued to insist that his route would never go free and he wanted to see me do it.

Bruce
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:04pm PT
Haha!
Good one Bruce.

James wrote:
"I wonder how often this thing gets onsighted. It's within mortal reach but doesn't get done much. Lucho fired and Honnold and probably a couple of other hardmen but I know a lot more people that haven't onsighted as have. "

In 1980, my first time up, Dan Michael and I free climbed the route, with one fall each. Dan popped off leading the layback into the Harding Slot, and I came off leading the tricky, bottomless layback move on the next pitch (there is a good jug just at ear level to complete the moves). Many people now skip that bit of 5.11 for the right hand variant.

In 1981, I went up a second time, leading all the pitches free, no falls, while guiding two Navy Seals, who jugged the whole thing.

Around that same time, Skip Guerin on sight floated it with a diet rack: his partner was, as I recall, the same Randy Joseph who was later to be Jello's partner for the climb, mentioned upthread.
scuffy b

climber
Stump with a backrest
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:15pm PT
I think that most of the people I have talked to over the years
tell me that they have done Astroman but had to use some aid.
Which translates to me as almost doing Astroman.
And, No, I'm not speaking from a "superior" position. I've
never tried it because I don't think I can do it.
Bubba Ho-Tep

climber
Evergreen, CO
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:18pm PT
Back to the Jello/Joseph ascent.....


I want to hear more about the "few bears" you guys had the night before.


Haven't seen Randy since the 70's......Hope he is well!
Jaybro

Social climber
The West
Jan 29, 2008 - 02:45pm PT
Yeah, the first time I did Astroface the second time up the same section of Rock I did Astroman.
mike hartley

climber
Jan 29, 2008 - 06:41pm PT
I'm not sure who his partner was but Mark Wilford told me he on-sighted it somewhere around '81.
mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:25pm PT
Werner: just curious...how many times have you done Astroman now?
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:30pm PT
One night in Tuolumne I was at the campfire with Harding and TM Herbert. Harding was telling us about how the East Face of the Column hadn't been free climbed yet and how he had secret info that proved it.

He said me, Largo and Kauk were just "powder puff boys". He finally revealed that the bolt on the ninth pitch was placed using aid and since we clipped that bolt our ascent was aid as well.

Then he passed out and fell face first into the fire! We pulled him out quickly and brushed off the burning charcoals that were imbedded in his forearms. He passed out again and after fifteen minutes he popped up shouting that John Long was a powder puff kid. Then he passed out for the night.

The next morning he wouldn't talk to any of us because he said we threw him into the fire....
WBraun

climber
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:38pm PT
LOL John

mooser --- " Werner: just curious...how many times have you done Astroman now?"

Only Harding really knows, he has the secret info.

Unfortunately it burned up when the "powder puff boys" threw him in the fire.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:42pm PT
Thanks - John B, John L, and Werner for sharing your cool stories. It's really fun to get a feel for what it was like back then.

Going up there with hexes - definitely for masters only! And thanks also to Mark for asking.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:45pm PT
You guys threw Harding into the campfire!
That's bad form.
bachar

Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:52pm PT
Rare photo of the first ascent of the East Face...
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:54pm PT
You're lucky he didn't exhale. The fireball might have taken some of the powder puff boys too.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:55pm PT
Hahaha!
Spencer Tracy & Robert Wagner = Largo & Kauk.
(I know you meant FFA)
Larry

Trad climber
Bisbee
Jan 29, 2008 - 07:59pm PT
Overheard in the arking plot, May '75:

"Long and two kids just free climbed the East Face of the Column. And get this! They renamed it Astroman!"
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 29, 2008 - 08:25pm PT
Rare picture of Largo, approaching the FFA of the East Face!

mooser

Trad climber
seattle
Jan 29, 2008 - 09:02pm PT
Werner: OK...that was funny!
Mimi

climber
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:27pm PT
Thanks for the thread and all the tales. Hilarious!
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 29, 2008 - 11:39pm PT
I lived in Truckee, CA. for a few years and I used to give slide shows at a local restaurant/bar. One night I walked in to set up and saw Harding there. He had previously walked out of one of my shows in Sacramento when I mentioned doing a lot of free climbing on the Nose and free climbing the East Face of WC.

I gave the show and he was sitting there drinking wine with my girlfriend at the time. I came over with my beer and he stood up, pointed a finger at me and pretty much yelled "Did you clip that bolt on the XX pitch? Because if you did then you didn't free climb the route because I placed that bolt on aid"!!! I said "Warren, it's not taking anything away from your vision that your routes are now free climbed, it's because of your vision that we are able to free climb them at all" I told him that he had taken giant steps in the evolution of climbing and we were merely taking more steps because of his foundation, that he was the role model for everyone else who had come afterwards and rebelled and who saw a different way of doing things. I told him that if he hadn't gone where he had gone, then we couldn't be going in the direction we were going. I bought him some wine and the evening ended with him crying on my shoulder telling me what a great guy I was.
True story.
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:50pm PT
It sounds like many contributors to this thread would agree with the sentiments of the famous quote usually attributed to Sir Isaac Newton: "Pigmaei gigantium humeris impositi plusquam ipsi gigantes vident" (Latin, for Jello), or in English "If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants."

The quote seems to actually date to the 12th century, when Bernard of Chartres said that we are like dwarfs on the shoulders of giants, so that we can see more than they, and things at a greater distance, not by virtue of any sharpness of sight on our part, or any physical distinction, but because we are carried high and raised up by their giant size.
Mimi

climber
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:54pm PT
That is great, Mark.
Jello

Social climber
No Ut
Jan 29, 2008 - 11:57pm PT
Great Harding stories! In the mid-seventies I spent a night drinking with Warren at the Fairview Inn, in Talkeetna, Alaska. We both had eyes for a new route on the Moose's Tooth. I had already climbed eleven pitches of it, all free, and was forced down by a storm. I wanted to go back and try to free climb the whole thing. Late in the night Warren and I shook hands on an agreement to meet up again on a certain date two months in the future, and team up on the Tooth. We had come to a creative decision that he would lead his pitches with all the aid and bolts he wanted, and I could try to free-climb mine, and follow his free. So it was settled.

Two months later I'm back in Talkeetna and asking around for Harding, but nobody's seen him. A week goes by and still no Warren. I have no phone or address for him, so finally head into the mountains to climb something by myself. A year later I run into Warren back in the States and ask him why he never showed up. The quizzical look on his face told me he was telling the truth when he said: "I actually have absolutely no recollection of making any plans to do that thing with you." Who could be angry? I took my place at the table for another long night of wine and tall tales with an icon of the golden era of American wall climbing.

-JelloAlmostClimbedWithHarding
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 30, 2008 - 12:43am PT
Great stories! A few more from the vault of Hugh Herr.

Fully in the Harding slot!

Getting loose on the Changing Corners pitch.

Beautiful steep face climbing dead ahead.

Hugh in the groove on top of the Column.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 30, 2008 - 01:38pm PT
Good ones there Steve!
Your such a hold out and a tease.
You've had ample call to post those couple extras: are there more?
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jan 30, 2008 - 01:47pm PT
We don't see many shots of this route here on the Forum.
Here's another rare image, revealing Wonder Braun's secret success strategy:

James

climber
A tent in the redwoods
Jan 30, 2008 - 01:51pm PT
Those Harding stories are classic.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 30, 2008 - 01:57pm PT
Sorry Tar- That's all that I took on this one! Too busy climbing.

A classic shot of Batso at work during the FA. From Roper's must own Camp 4.

Oli

Trad climber
Fruita, Colorado
Jan 30, 2008 - 02:51pm PT
Jello, Harding and I had a great evening together in Yosemite in the mid-later 1960s, where we made detailed, quite lucid-seeming plans for a new route on El Cap. What a warm, fun time and lots of conversation, but to my astonishment, when we met in the morning in the campground, he had no memory whatsoever of speaking with me the night before. I think on a regular basis he was reaching that state of alcohol consumption where you're awake but actually not and remember nothing later.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jan 30, 2008 - 11:07pm PT
Walleye- you are correct on that one because Hugh has copies. Never happier than when that shot was taken. Big day for a sixteen year old phenom!

Hugh got to the base of the Harding slot with Hans his brother and thought the better of it. Hugh and I went up on another occasion and I did my level best to suck his scrawny ass through the belay bolt at the base of the Enduro Corner when I took a sizzler after pumping out trying to thread a fixed bong scrap just short of the rest holds. "The psyche has got to be there," said the stoic but badly jangled Hugh.

The next time was a dream and we flew up the route. The psyche was there, as Hugh's glowing face confirms.
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jan 31, 2008 - 10:26pm PT
These are some of the first pictures I can remember seeing of people actually climbing Astroman. I suppose there must be some in some old Mountain magazine or something, but none that I can remember. Rather cool.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Feb 1, 2008 - 12:03am PT
No kidding Anders,
Other than Rowell's photo essay on Kauk, there isn't much out there; some, but lean.
Merry Braun & Deanne Gray were filmed and that is pretty cool.

As Steve said, most of us were just too busy.

The Seals I guided were on jugs and they snapped a few pics, but I never saw any of the images.
You know the deal, they could have, but then they'd have had to...
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Feb 1, 2008 - 12:18am PT
Roger, you come and do it as a boulder problem and I'll spot you! promise!!
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Feb 1, 2008 - 01:04am PT
Anders,

Here are some more Astroman (post-History) climbing photos - I didn't know there was a shortage?

http://www.monsteroffwidth.com/climbing/2007/20070324-yosemite/index.html

http://www.stanford.edu/~mburke/TR/2007/032407.htm

http://climbermei.smugmug.com/gallery/855907#38518722

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/864341#38966230
GDavis

Trad climber
SoCal
Feb 1, 2008 - 01:50am PT
"I think on a regular basis he was reaching that state of alcohol consumption where you're awake but actually not and remember nothing later."


Of every description I had ever heard of Warren, I like this one the best.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 1, 2008 - 11:06am PT
Decks awash in the eternal present! Warren thinking that the Stomemasters had pushed him into the fire still makes me laugh! "John Long is a powderpuff!" LOL
TwistedCrank

climber
Ideeho
Feb 1, 2008 - 11:28am PT
Is there anyone here that *hasn't* boozed it up with Warren?

In my first season in the valley while on a swerve I bumped into Warren at the Mountain Room Bar. I stayed at his table the rest of the night bantering about this and that and covering the table with empty glasses.

I felt like I had received a gift to have graced his presence and that there was something special about that night.

When I told the tale around the campfires in C4 it seemed that everyone else had at least one tale of "I ran into Warren and drank...". Which didn't make any of my encounters with him any less special.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 2008 - 09:58pm PT
It is a shame that the original Mountain Room Bar didn't survive long enough to make it on to the National Register of Historic Places while entwined with Camp 4! So many memories of sticking my head in to see who was in attendance and spotting Batso tucked away amongst the luminaries lost in animated chat. The raw number of great schemes, real or unfulfilled, that were hatched in that nest is absolutely staggering!
WBraun

climber
Feb 2, 2008 - 10:03pm PT
Yeah Steve Yeah

I second that.

One example; the night Slings decides to get naked and get on top of the bar and start dancing, hahahaha

After dark, things start to move over to that bar and take on another life .......
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Feb 2, 2008 - 10:06pm PT
The lounge ought also to be recognized for its central role in Yosemite climbing. Mantles on the fireplace hood. Chess games in the corner. Loud, scruffy climbers everywhere, driving out the tourists. Climbers in the hall by the gift shop after the lounge closed, sometimes tipping the vending machines...
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 2, 2008 - 10:18pm PT
Absolutely rip roaring Naugahyde vortex at times!
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Feb 2, 2008 - 11:15pm PT
""Does anyone still do it as an aid climb, or perhaps a largely free, partly aid climb?" "

It's called "MortalMan" if you do a bi-lingual ascent.

Peace

karl
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Feb 4, 2008 - 11:22am PT
I think a lot of folks do it quasi free and get by with a little help from their Friends. LOL
Phantom Fugitive

Trad climber
Misery
Apr 18, 2008 - 12:18pm PT
Al Currano coming out of the slot...

Phantom Fugitive

Trad climber
Misery
Apr 18, 2008 - 12:25pm PT
before the slot

The Doctor

Social climber
Da Bronx
Apr 19, 2008 - 12:33pm PT
Ever since doing Astroman the first time in '92(freed it my second time up in '03) I've been hearing "I'm too big to get through the slot, that's why I only did Astroboy(the first 6 pitches or so). I call B*llsh*t! My friend Nils is 6'4" and about 210 lbs. He fit in just fine. So how many of you out there that are scared of the slot are bigger than Nils? Discuss amongst yourselves, The Doctor P.S. I was told my first time up it didn't matter which way you faced in the slot. That's bad beta. I've done it both ways and there is a big difference which side goes in, and if you haven't been up there yet I' m not saying which is better. So have people lb'ed the outside of the slot, like Largo was purported to have done? An intersting aside. When I did Steck/Salathe I didn't go through the narrows, I went outside, anybody else do that?
Largo

Sport climber
Venice, Ca
Apr 19, 2008 - 12:52pm PT
"When I did Steck/Salathe I didn't go through the narrows, I went outside, anybody else do that?"

Yup.

JL
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Mar 5, 2009 - 03:27pm PT
Nobody answered Largo's ??

Largo, I guess that means you're the only one!
steelmnkey

climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
Mar 5, 2009 - 05:44pm PT
>>When I did Steck/Salathe I didn't go through the narrows, I went >>outside, anybody else do that?"
>
>Yup.
>
>JL

Me too. Did that same thing on the SS.

Recall some discussion or other in the early days of wreck.climbing newsgroup about Bruce Bailey (Dr. Offwidth) climbing (leading?) the Harding Slot via layback. Believe he's a pretty big dude. Then again, maybe he was more comfortable doing it that way...
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Mar 5, 2009 - 08:32pm PT
There is some pretty good reading on the subject
in my history of free climbing in America book,
commentaries by Bachar and Long, and of course
other events leading up through the years, such as
the first ascent... followed by a very fast and
bolt-chopping ascent by Royal and Frost... and
later the solo ascents...

john hansen

climber
Mar 5, 2009 - 10:07pm PT
Never heard about the bolt chopping on that route Pat.

Wasn't Pratt part of that first ascent with Harding?

Why did Robbins and Frost chop it. Siege tactics?
survival

Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
Mar 6, 2009 - 01:22am PT
"The lounge ought also to be recognized for its central role in Yosemite climbing. Mantles on the fireplace hood. Chess games in the corner. Loud, scruffy climbers everywhere, driving out the tourists. Climbers in the hall by the gift shop after the lounge closed, sometimes tipping the vending machines... "

Oh my gosh Anders, you brought so many memories and emotions flooding back with that comment. I was just about in tears here for a minute. I'm still on the verge. Absolutely, one of the wildest, most crucial, beautiful parts of my life....to this day.
Reilly

Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
Mar 6, 2009 - 01:42am PT
Yeah, you shoulda seen the smooth-talkin' I had to do when I got back to Seattle after a night in the Bar brought my REI expense account to the auto-conflagration point!
"You spent how much in one night?"
"Uh, it was product research?"
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Mar 6, 2009 - 10:32am PT
John,
The agreement between Royal and Tom was to remove any of the bolts that they found unnecessary during their ascent. Tom removed more bolts on that route than he placed in his entire career!

The excess of bolts was partly due to siege tactics and partly due to improvements in hardware in the interim. T & R were also a rather strong team!
BrassNuts

Trad climber
Boulder Colorado
Mar 6, 2009 - 11:28am PT
I went outside the Narrows on the SS as well, and I was a very tight fit in Harding Slot. I remember feeling like a stuck blowfish in that thing! All I had to do was inhale and I could "drop" my legs or arms for a "rest"...
Dr.Sprock

Boulder climber
Sprocketville
Mar 6, 2009 - 12:15pm PT
That flake below the slot with the serrated edge is ready to go.

Somebody needs to go up there with a pry bar tonight.


Oh, and i hearby declare this climbing season of 2009..





OFFICIALLY ......



OPEN!

Grab your sh#t lets get the hell out of here.
the Fet

Knackered climber
A bivy sack in the secret campground
Mar 6, 2009 - 01:23pm PT
What a great thread.

Only one man could or would call those guys powder puff boys LOL!

jahil

Trad climber
Werner save my sorry ass!
Mar 6, 2009 - 01:35pm PT
I've often wondered about fitting my fat ass into the slot. Found this recently:

http://www.coloradodaily.com/news/2008/sep/16/weidner-size-matters-harding-slot/

steve
MisterE

Trad climber
One Place or Another
Mar 6, 2009 - 10:48pm PT
bump for a great thread and stories
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Mar 6, 2009 - 11:56pm PT
The Harding Slot is a well-heeled myth,
Fervently perpetuated by the seasoned adept and the bright-eyed acolyte.
Nobody's ever been through it: not even in Photoshop.

guido

Trad climber
Santa Cruz
Mar 7, 2009 - 02:09am PT
BA

Before Astroman

A young Pratt on the first ascent, 1959.

Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Mar 7, 2009 - 01:13pm PT
Some Tom Frost photos from the second ascent.

Scratch one bolt!

Tom preparing to chop a bolt.


Royal on the changing corners up high.
MisterE

Trad climber
One Place or Another
Mar 10, 2009 - 01:37am PT
bump for bolt-clippin' aid climbers! (and not!) LOL!
Patrick Sawyer

climber
Originally California now Ireland
Mar 10, 2009 - 07:41am PT
Great thread.
martygarrison

Trad climber
The Great North these days......
Mar 10, 2009 - 10:13am PT
Isn't Pratt at the base of the boulder pitch?
noshoesnoshirt

climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
Mar 11, 2009 - 01:14pm PT
bump
MisterE

Trad climber
One Step Beyond!
Apr 8, 2009 - 01:10pm PT
I'll see your bump and raise you one.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Apr 8, 2009 - 01:14pm PT
What's with the goggles on Pratt? Don't get me wrong goggles are cool and all, but are we welding up there?
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
Otto, NC
Apr 8, 2009 - 02:17pm PT
Spoken like a man who's never been stuck up on a cliff with metal shards and rock slivers in his eyeball....
WBraun

climber
Apr 8, 2009 - 02:19pm PT
Tom

Charlie Porter wore goggles on the second ascent of the gobi wall to protect his eyes.
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
Apr 8, 2009 - 02:46pm PT
gotcha-
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Apr 8, 2009 - 05:12pm PT
Spoken like a man who's never been stuck up on a cliff with metal shards and rock slivers in his eyeball....

That happened to you too? In the middle of our second day on the Mescalito I was cleaning a pin and knocked some metal and rock into my eye. We tried to get it out but for the rest of the route my eye would tear up anytime it felt like it and I'd barely be able to see.
I went to the infirmary afterwards and then took something out of my eye. I walked around camp for the next few days with a patch over my eye.
Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 9, 2009 - 01:50am PT
Kinda like this fella? Sort out for the second ascent of the Nose.

Tom Frost photo.
Rankin

climber
Bishop, CA
Apr 9, 2009 - 01:57am PT
I've gotten metal in my eye before working with steel, not climbing. Boy, it sucks. Certainly wouldn't want to be climbing feeling like that. Those guys were so bad ass. I love the last picture, and the one of Robbins on Changing Corners.
SteveW

Trad climber
The state of confusion
Apr 9, 2009 - 12:02pm PT
Bump
Climbing dropout

Trad climber
Vancouver, BC
Apr 26, 2009 - 04:49pm PT
Changing corners pitch


October 1989

Steve Grossman

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Apr 26, 2009 - 06:40pm PT
Talk about a LINE! The cracks are so good on that route with lots of hand jamming that it is not surprising it had to wait until stoveleg sized pitons came along. Very hard to imagine looking up and thinking "oh no, bad size" when faced with a killer handcrack!
Climbing dropout

Trad climber
Vancouver, BC
Apr 27, 2009 - 06:58pm PT
Blue skies, Harding Slot above, Hamish Fraser as viewed from belay at the top of the Endurance pitch


October 1989
Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 9, 2009 - 11:27pm PT
Guess I'd better bump this one, too - one of John's seminal climbs, with his stories hidden like nuggets within the thread.
chum

Trad climber
Jul 10, 2009 - 04:56am PT
This story isn't about pre Astroman's History but its a good one and I just can't resist.

I'm from Tennessee. The flatlands of Middle Tennessee to be exact. Raised in the strip mall landscape of Nashville the "music city." Far from anything as grand as the East Face of Washington Column. I started climbing on very humble and unassuming rocks. Comparatively tiny. When I heard of this route called Astroman my life changed suddenly and had purpose it had never known before.

Established by supermen with names like Harding, Pratt, Kauk, Long, and Bachar, Astroman was something important and worth fighting for. Something big, amazing, and beyond anything I'd seen, heard of, or even contemplated in my life. I decided that I had to someday climb this special route established by legends, thereby elevating my own uneventful existence.

After the seed was planted every climbing day was met with Astroman in mind. I had to get at least 10 pitches in since Astroman was around 10 pitches. I had to be ready for the "Boulder" pitch, the "Enduro" corner. The "Slot"... I sought out objectives that seemed like they would give me the experience necessary to climb this hallowed route. My life had never known such purpose.

After years of preparation, I felt ready. Only problem...I had no partner. Nobody I knew, NOBODY, was interested in climbing this thing. Coming from the South, Astroman seemed absolutely terrifying. Even the best climbers I knew had no interest. I wasn't too worried since I figured Camp 4 was full of climbers who were as ready and stoked to get on the thing. In May of 1996 at least, this wasn't exactly the case.

With only a week to spend in the Valley I set off from the South to meet Astroman head on. Traveling with a group of climbers I spent my summers working with, there was an excitement within our group that sensed this was a special trip. We were all fully stoked. Upon arriving I immediately started my search for a partner. I posted notes on the Camp 4 board, walked from site to site, and even inquired at YMS as to how much a guide would cost for a trip up the Column. I found no one. Dejected, I spent climbing days getting spanked on routes like Cookie Monster and Twilight Zone wondering if I even had what it takes. Worse yet, I might not even find out.

With only two days left in the trip I was sitting in Camp 4 as a friend gave me the blow by blow of his most recent climb up "So and So" and how amazing it was and "blah, blah, blah, blah." The end seemed near but for a glimpse I caught of a long haired man striding through camp with an aura of BAD ASS that I quickly noted. Ignoring my friends story I turned my attention to this man and realized I recognized him. Alex Huber had just freed the Salathe, this guy looked alot like him. Could it be his brother...Hmm
Maybe he'd be up for it.

I quickly interrupted my pals story and before I could get nervous about it I walked right up to the guy and asked him point blank. "Hello, I'm Chum. Would like climb Astroman?" "Sure, for me izz juss training." "Great, tomorrow?" "Jess, vee, vill, do zeess." Holy sh#t, it was on. Just like that.

The next morning we got up before dawn and loaded up our gear in a really "Vintage" car that was being loaned to him by a Valley local. What I remember most is that it had a push button transmission and didn't sound like it was in the prime of its life. In fact it didn't really want to start. We both got out of the car, opened up the hood. Looked at the engine, looked at each other. Realized neither of knew WTF to do. We got back in, and the car started right up. YEAH! Let's go...before it dies again.

What can I say about climbing Astroman that's not been said already. Its everything and more I guess. I climbed well. Didn't onsight but it didn't matter, neither did Thomas. We had a killer time. Besides, the Slot's hard! Getting to the top was one of the most satisfying moments of my life. Then it got better.

Returning to the car we were both pretty worked. We only took 1 liter of water for us both. We were ready to chill out. Thomas got the car started somehow but we quickly realized it wouldn't drive forward. He'd try to pull it forward and it'd stall out. But backing it up to get out of the way of traffic it did fine. Thomas was growing impatient. He sat contemplative for a few moments, then with a revelation not unlike Newton getting bonked by a falling apple, he declared with a twinkle in his eye, "I go backwards."

Suddenly, we're pulling out of the Awahnee, BACKWARDS. Have you ever tried to drive backwards for any considerable length? Have you ever done it in 30mph traffic? AFTER, CLIMBING ASTROMAN? Well, we did. Thomas' driving like a man possesed, I'm trying to help navigate and wave to all the friendly tourists who were totally freaking out. Binoculars trained on the walls bowed down to a bigger spectacle racing along in the middle of tourist traffic. "You're crazy!!, You're crazy!!" I clearly remember hearing. Sure, crazy like a fox we were.

Years later I bumped into Thomas around a campfire in Camp 4. I asked him if he remembered me from the climb and "drive." His eyes lit up. "I REMEMBER!", he said. "My friends didn't believe me but now you can tell them it was true." It was true. It was one of the best days of my life. I felt like that day was a gift from the Yosemite climbing gods or something. I've been back to the route several times since. In fact I've had a few trips up it that are up there as "best days" of my life. I hope I can always go back to it.
S.Powers

Social climber
Jtree, now in Alaska
Jul 10, 2009 - 07:03am PT
post bump to a great man, and to get rid of Onyx the A-hole.
426

Sport climber
Buzzard Point, TN
Jul 10, 2009 - 01:33pm PT
Mark "We tried to get it out but for the rest of the route my eye would tear up anytime it felt like it and I'd barely be able to see.
I went to the infirmary afterwards and then took something out of my eye. I walked around camp for the next few days with a patch over my eye. "

Was that with Max? Or perhaps that same thing happened to Max on Sea of Dreams???? I think i remember a story a bit with rust growing in an eye and one Dr. Dick Long from Carson City telling you guys what a smart move it was to descend?

Do elaborate
Rhodo-Router

Gym climber
a greasy pinscar near you
Jul 10, 2009 - 01:37pm PT
Awesome story chum!
Double D

climber
Jul 10, 2009 - 02:24pm PT
Chum...that story "rocks!"
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jul 10, 2009 - 10:58pm PT
From MOUNTAIN MAGAZINE :




Mighty Hiker

Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Jul 11, 2009 - 01:23am PT
I remember a certain person with the initials RC who liked to tilt the vending machines...
Russ Walling

Gym climber
Poofter's Froth, Wyoming
Jul 11, 2009 - 03:24am PT
Great story Chum and Mark!

I know a guy with the initials RW that used to rock the machines until they threw up. But one night, a particular machine got the best of the "rock star", toppled, and pinned him under it, perhaps with even an injury or two. Maybe he will drift by with the straight poop on the incident.
Mark Hudon

Trad climber
Hood River, OR
Topic Author's Reply - Jul 11, 2009 - 11:29am PT
The eye incident was with Max on the Mescalito, It happened on the second day but we climbed three more days and finished the route. Two years later I dropped a big rock on my finger that ripped my finger nail off on the PO (again with Max). We had to rap off after that one.
chum

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
Jul 11, 2009 - 01:48pm PT
Thanks Russ, one of my all time favorite climbing stories is "Miles Glorious" I read that not long after I started climbing. Totally inspired me to find some mandrake root and head down to the Tanks.
BASE104

climber
An Oil Field
Jul 11, 2009 - 09:30pm PT
Chum's story about driving home in reverse made me spew beer.
dogtown

climber
Cheyenne,Wyoming
Jul 12, 2009 - 01:45am PT
The Dream! The best line ever.
David Wilson

climber
CA
Sep 8, 2009 - 06:53pm PT
A couple photos from my attempt with Kike Arnal in 1989. Went back with Jose Luis in 93 and did the route. Jose led the slot and I made a valiant effort to squeeze through but eventually ended up chicken winging on the outside with left side in....gotta get back up there....


Berk

Mountain climber
USA
Sep 13, 2009 - 10:00pm PT
Bump....great post.
Mighty Hiker

climber
Vancouver, B.C.
Dec 6, 2009 - 06:57pm PT
I was recently doing some research, and discovered that the correct name for the climb seems to be Astro Man, not Astroman. The name of the Hendrix song was Astro Man, and the route was called that in the 1976, 1982, and 1987 guidebooks. In the 1994 (Reid) guidebook it became Astroman, which is what SuperTopo calls it.

http://lyrics.wikia.com/The_Jimi_Hendrix_Experience:Astro_Man

Plus it seems a good thread to bump.
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Dec 6, 2009 - 08:25pm PT
Rastro, Man!

Climbing dropout

climber
British Columbia
Dec 6, 2009 - 08:31pm PT
I am certain Hamish Fraser from Squamish would have onsighted it, no falls, in 1988, leading every pitch. Astroman was well within his capabilities to flash.

What year is Mark Hudons Mountain article from ?



Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Dec 6, 2009 - 09:12pm PT
My fake little brother has climbed it twice, leading all the pitches. I think another, similar ascent is in the offing after a maybe 20' year haitus. That's just the tip of the iceburg on this story....
Patrick Oliver

Boulder climber
Fruita, Colorado
Aug 18, 2011 - 12:23am PT
You might want to read the accounts in Wizards of Rock, written
by Largo and Bachar....

Lots of long, difficult free climbs around or soon after that time,
in other parts of the country and world..., but this was
a great project and striking line. It was no big surprise that
it would catch the eye of some of Yosemite's best, as a
free climbing possibility.
Tarbuster

climber
right here, right now
Jun 20, 2012 - 07:55pm PT
On the last pitch, the climber BUMPS from an undercling to the final crunchy jugs.
A5scott

Trad climber
Chicago
Jun 20, 2012 - 10:03pm PT
Wow great thread! I'll have to go back and read Camp 4 again! among other books...

scott
Studly

Trad climber
WA
Nov 18, 2012 - 08:19pm PT
Great thread!
Alexey

climber
San Jose, CA
Jul 27, 2013 - 12:35pm PT
bump for Astroman's stories and for "powder puff boys"
Hardly Visible

Social climber
Llatikcuf WA
May 27, 2015 - 08:56am PT
A clear demonstration that supertopo is not dead it just smells funny.
Rollover

climber
Gross Vegas
Oct 8, 2015 - 06:23pm PT
BBST
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