Trip Report
Two Days on Afroman
Sunday April 14, 2019 9:06pm
I had the privilege of volunteering in the Valley for two months last summer and scraping my way up some walls. I have been busy with my second year of university in Vancouver, but now that classes are over and I am getting ready to head back to Yosemite in May, I will post up some trip reports from last summer to get stoked and share the energy and stories.

Brandon Adams and I climbed Afroman last May. It was my first time ever using a hammer. I had soloed the prow the year before and thought it was steep... Afroman is of an entirely different caliber of steepness. You start to wonder which way is up and which direction is out!

We brought a prototype trapezium portaledge and slept the two of us tall lads on it for the one night we spent on the route. Pretty tight, but compact and light! I remember the wind making the suspension straps rattle like hell and being pretty unsettled by the steepness, being on my first wall of the season. Brandon put on some Al Green, we got in our sleeping bags and started laughing hysterically. This was one of my favourite memories from the summer.

Enjoy the photos!

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Vertical break dancing on the Hornyzontyl pitch.
Vertical break dancing on the Hornyzontyl pitch.
Credit: Miles Fullman
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Steep!
Steep!
Credit: Miles Fullman
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Looking down.
Looking down.
Credit: Miles Fullman
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Climbing into the morning rays over Half Dome near the top of the Colu...
Climbing into the morning rays over Half Dome near the top of the Column.
Credit: Miles Fullman
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Brandon styling the Tsunami. Overhanging beak seam!
Brandon styling the Tsunami. Overhanging beak seam!
Credit: Miles Fullman
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The Tsunami.
The Tsunami.
Credit: Miles Fullman
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Afroman is relentlessly steep to the very last pitch.
Afroman is relentlessly steep to the very last pitch.
Credit: Miles Fullman
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More steepness!
More steepness!
Credit: Miles Fullman
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It was a great experience following Brandon and picking up new skills along the way. I definitely learned how to jug and clean steep terrain much more efficiently by the end! My first taste of some more difficult aid - pretty stoked about the places it can take you!

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Miles Fullman
About the Author
Miles Fullman is 20 years old and is looking forward to graduating so he can climb more.

Comments
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
  Apr 15, 2019 - 12:20pm PT
nice!
skywalker1

Trad climber
co
  Apr 15, 2019 - 12:26pm PT
I definitely learned how to jug and clean steep terrain much more efficiently by the end!

Nice job guys! I hear you cleaning. My buddy and I did WFLT and I got to lead all the straight pitches and got to clean all the sideways and big overhangs. I got pretty good at it by the end.

Cheers!

S.....
Zclipper69

Trad climber
mill valley
  Apr 15, 2019 - 02:55pm PT
Holy Moly dude!
matty

Trad climber
Sad the forum is gone =(
  Apr 15, 2019 - 03:45pm PT
RAD - I've always wanted to do that route...tried to solo it one summer but took a fall on pitch two or three and blew some fixed heads and was too scared/shaken to continue by myself, although I did lead back up and try. I just wasn't confident enough in my head placements, I had never placed one before and didn't want to repeat the fall. Good learning experience. Mideast Crisis is another awesome overhung route. It would be much easier technically than Afroman but similar in steepness and position. Highly recommended and uncrowded. Do the planks roof variation at the start.
Jim Hornibrook

Trad climber
Redwood City, CA
  Apr 15, 2019 - 09:44pm PT
Great send!
The name Afroman is a rare triple entendre. Of course it sounds like Astroman and is near Electric Ladyland, an album by Jimi Hendrix who of course sported quite an afro. But thirdly, my brother Jeff Hornibrook who did the first ascent has 'fro' as his nickname. I have no idea how he got that nickname but there it is.
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