EP 106: Hans Florine
February 14, 2022
PHOTO: Taken by Lincoln Else
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. You can learn more about Hans at hansflorine.com
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Show Notes:
Books:
On The Nose by Hans Florine (Audiobook)
Speed Climbing by Hans Florine and Bill Wright (Audiobook)
Climb On! by Hans Florine and Bill Wright (95% the same, so buy this version)
Other Related Podcasts:
Other References:
AAC interview w/ Hans about his accident
Links From Hans:
Do Hard Things…. https://www.dhtchallenge.com/
The book http://onthenosebook.com/
http://instagram.com/hansflorine
https://www.facebook.com/HansFlorineclimbs
https://twitter.com/hansflorine
Stay at his homes: http://hansbasecamp.com/
Routes Mentioned:
‘The Nose’ 5.9 C2, 31 pitches, El Cap, Yosemite, CA
‘Salathe Wall’ 5.9 C2, 35 pitches, El Cap, Yosemite, CA
‘Freerider’ 5.13a (free), 30 pitches, El Cap, Yosemite, CA
‘Golden Gate’ 5.13a (free), 36 pitches, El Cap, Yosemite, CA
‘El Corazón’ 5.13b (free), 31 pitches, El Cap, Yosemite, CA
‘Surf Safari’ 5.13d, Mickey's Beach, CA
‘Bodyguard from Beijing’ 5.14a, Mr. Lees, CA (Hans’ FA)
‘Omaha Beach’ 5.14a, Red River Gorge, KY
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