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This was a significant accomplishment of its day when Warren Harding
completed it as an aid climb in 1959 after months of effort and several
attempts. As such, though, it might have languished in relative obscurity
alongside the other big wall routes in Yosemite Valley. It took some of
the outstanding free climbers of another generation to put this climb
in its proper context as one of the finest free climbing testpieces on
the continent. In an emerging tradition of renaming climbs after they
are climbed free (a dubious practice, but now well-established), they
called it "Astroman." It is now known around the world as a
benchmark for a long, difficult granite climb. This route offers some
of the cleanest and most classic crack, dihedral, and chimney climbing
to be found in the Valley, which is known for such things. If and when
you are up to this one, reflect on leading it with hex nuts as did the
first free ascensionists, or free-soloing it, as did Peter Croft.
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Location: |
Yosemite Nat'l Park, California |
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References: |
G5, G28, G35,
W9, W22, W32, I3,
I10
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First Ascent:
First Free Ascent:
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W. Harding, C. Pratt, G. Denny, July 1959/
J. Bachar, R. Kauk, J. Long, June 1975
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Trip Reports: |
Smith, 10/01
Anderson, 5/02 |
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