EP 106: Hans Florine — Speed Climbing on ‘The Nose’, Big Wall Tips, and the Evolution of Speed Climbing Competitions

Hans Florine has held the speed record on ‘The Nose’ on El Capitan 8 separate times. He has climbed the route 112 times, with 100+ people. He loves ‘The Nose’ so much, he wrote a book about it. We talked about winning the first International Speed Climbing Championships in 1991, his earliest ascents of El Cap, top 3 big wall efficiency tips, and the value of doing hard things.

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Show Notes:  

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/hans-florine

Nuggets:

0:05:29 – Why Hans uses “exacting time” to schedule things, and respecting other people’s time

0:11:24 – Being a chameleon when traveling

0:12:52 – 182 laps up El Cap, and 112 ascents on ‘The Nose’

0:14:37 – Hans’ first speed climbing World Cups, and the first climbing World Championship in Frankfurt, Germany in 1991

0:24:34 – How European culture shaped Hans’ perception, and receiving international recognition for holding the speed record on ‘The Nose’

0:27:55 – Patron question from Ana: What are Hans’ thoughts on the evolution of speed climbing competitions, and different formats?

0:34:37 – Hans’ first trip up El Cap via the Salathe in 1986

0:41:09 – His first failed attempt on ‘The Nose’, and going for the speed record with Steve “Shipoopoi” Schneider

0:48:15 – Hans’ favorite Peter Croft story

0:50:37 – A question from Craig DeMartino, and what it is about ‘The Nose’ that captivates Hans

0:54:02 – Some failure stories on ‘The Nose’

0:57:57 – How the Stove Legs got their name, and the haul cart with wheels

1:02:05 – Wrapping up the story of the first speed record with Steve Schneider

1:06:40 – Developing an obsession with the speed record on ‘The Nose’

1:12:16 – Biggest logistical and tactical improvements in speed climbing ‘The Nose’

1:19:04 – Writing the book on speed climbing, and going for the speed record with Alex Honnold

1:25:51 – Patron question from Christoph: Top 3 tricks for being efficient on a big wall route?

1:34:09 – The Tom Frost story, and how much water to bring on a big wall

1:37:12 – Hans’ perspective on the current record on ‘The Nose’

1:45:53 – How fast can The Nose be climbed?

1:48:03 – Will Hans try for the speed record again?

1:48:40 – Patron question from Henry: Has Hans’ attitude toward speed climbing changed after his accident? Does speed climbing become less sensible as one gets older?

1:56:25 – A question from Hazel Findlay, and the award Hans would give her

1:58:04 – Hans thoughts on free climbing El Cap, and an argument for climbing ‘The Nose’ “as free as can be”

2:04:49 – Hans’ time focused on onsighting in the 80s and 90s

2:08:55 – 8a.nu and plans for his time in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky

2:11:15 – Takeaways from climbing ‘The Nose’ with more than 100 different people

2:13:22 – Who has affected Hans most in his climbing

2:16:27 – A message from Craig DeMartino

2:17:50 – Patron question from Craig: Who is your greatest non-climbing influence and why?

2:19:31 – Ryan Reynolds

2:20:14 – Doing hard things, and the DHT Challenge

2:22:41 – Applying manufacturing experiences to climbing

2:24:34 – How Hans is making a living now with construction

2:26:31 – How to connect with Hans, and more about the DHT Challenge

2:31:17 – What Hans is excited about right now

2:32:20 – What is next for Hans Florine