Florine Hans - On the Nose

In addition to his climbing accolades, Hans Florine is the coauthor of Speed Climbing and has contributed to three other books, as well as written articles for Rock & Ice and Climbing magazines. Hans served as executive director of the American Sport Climbers Federation from 1992 to 1996 and is currently an Ambassador for the Access Fund, as well as manager and shareholder at Touchstone Climbing & Fitness, the largest climbing-gym chain in the country. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and maintains strong relationships, fund-raising and otherwise, with Yosemite Conservancy, Outward Bound, the Access Fund, the American Safe Climbing Association, American Alpine Club, Sierra Club, and NatureBridge. He is also a professional motivational speaker, delivering keynotes at trade shows, conferences, and college auditoriums worldwide, from local Rotary club meetings to Fortune 500 events.

Jayme Moye is an award-winning freelance journalist based in Boulder, Colorado, and the former managing editor of Elevation Outdoors. She is a regular contributor at National Geographic Adventure, Mens Journal, and 5280. Her stories have been anthologized in The Best Womens Travel Writing, Volume 10, and Vignettes and Postcards from Paris. This is her first book.

I could not have had the opportunity to be a climber without the open-mindedness of my mom and dad. I went to college, got a degree, took a yuppie job, and then I turned from that path and became a full-time climber. The support from Maryann and Thomas Florine, whether I was climbing a tree, selling vegetables from a wagon, pole vaulting, painting fences, hammering nails, studying, not studying, managing a production facility in downtown Los Angeles, or living out of a van, was unwavering. Thank you.

My wife, Jacki Adams Florine, has climbed the Nose with me four times, and El Cap ten times. Climbing big walls is hard, but giving birth to two humans, staying happily married to me, raising two kids (three, counting me), managing our household, and accomplishing audacious goals of her own (like running the Badwater Ultramarathon) is something above and beyond hard. There are no words for how much I love, respect, and appreciate this woman.

The climbing and outdoor community has provided me with an enormous amount of support, and the long list of individuals, organizations, and companies is only partially represented in this book. I would like to call out one climber, Steve Schneider, whose impact on me was so great that Im certain he changed my climbing path. From the get-go, I loved competing and I loved sport climbing. Steve was exceptional at both, while also having a very strong background in trad (traditional) and big-wall climbing. He took me under his wing in that arena, inviting me on adventures as if we had been climbing for a decade together. His fun-loving character is perhaps best described as highly competent, yet highly serious only when he needs to be. Steve has no equal in his diverse accomplishments in climbing. What path did he set me on? The path to 101 ascents of the Nose. Had he not shown me that the Nose could be not only completed, but enjoyed, in 8 hours, its highly probable that I would never have climbed it again. Perhaps not even climbed El Capitan again.

Im also very fortunate to be part of the close-knit community of climbers at Diablo Rock Gym, which I manage, and the greater Touch-stone Climbing family. Our motto at DRG is Do hard things, and the super-positive folks there have enabled some of my most rewarding climbing adventures to date. I love working with all of you.

As for the art of writing, I must acknowledge John Burbidge and Bill Wright. More than ten years ago, they got me my first book deal to write Climb On, which later, in its second edition, became Speed Climbing. Without John and Bills encouragement, I may not have committed to speed climbing big wallswhich has served me so well in my climbing career and been the foundation for so many of the stories for this bookor to writing, something Ive found takes even more courage than climbing. Thank you also to Max Phelps with Globe Pequot/Falcon Guides, who has always been there with a Yes, Hans, we can do that.

My editor at Falcon, Dave Costello, was diplomatic in heavily suggesting that I partner with a coauthor on this narrative. Daves wisdom in directing me and Jayme, from subtle nuances to overall story structure, was always spot-on. I am grateful for all his talents, especially his ability to let us run loose while somehow keeping us moving toward what you have read here.

An extra-special thanks goes out to Jayme Moye. I have not failed to appreciate where I have caught her in her career. She is already an award-winning journalist and on her way to becoming a world-class author. All enjoyable reading in this book is her doing. Anything awkward, or downright tough to read, I would be to blame. Jaymes ability to interview me for an hour and then put to paper stories from my fragmented memory is astonishing, not to mention the fact that she joined me and Fiona Thornewill on my 100th ascent of the Nose, as the embedded journalist. Jayme rocks (and yes, that may only be two words, but it is a complete sentence).

Steve Edwards, you are gone but not forgotten. Thanks for teaching me that a person can do something mediocre, something hard, or something great, but when you attempt something thats so challenging that you yourself have doubts about completing it, then thats rad. Im going for 200.

1. July 1989, Mike Lopez, 46 hours

My first Nose ascent was with Mike, a college buddy on the track-and field team. It took us two tries. Our first attempt, the year prior, was an epic fail and we bailed after 12 hours on the fourth pitch. Its worth noting that Mike was a fellow pole-vaulterthe only endeavor more ridiculous than climbing.

2. May 1990, Steve Schneider, 8:05 (record)

I set my first speed record on the Nose with Steve, who asked me to call him Shipoopi. At the time, Shipoopi was the best all-around El Cap climber in addition to one of my idols. He soon became my best friend. Today, he possesses one of the most badass El Cap rsums on the planet (see Speedclimb.com for the others).

3. June 1991, Andres Puhvel, 6:03 (record)

Andy was just a college kid when we set this record. Wed been competitors on the local climbing-comp scene, trading off wins in difficulty. He never did best me in a speed event... well, once, at his local crag. When we got to the top of the Nose, we were floored when we looked at the watchwe never thought we could do better than the immortals Dave Schultz and Peter Croft.

4. June 1991, Andres Puhvel, 6:17

Andy and I climbed the Nose again, just in case we could do it even faster. We couldnt.

5. August 1991, Nancy Feagin, 10:05 (male-female record)

Nancy was a climber before we met and my girlfriend at the time of the climb. I remember being stunned at her climbing talent. She went on to win many climbing competitions, guide at an expert level in the Tetons, and even summit Mount Everest while nursing a lung infection.

6. May 1992, Kevin Thaw, 6:01

Kevin is a true all-around master of the sport. I always thought he was so hard-core because he could wield ice tools one month and crush hard sport-climbing routes the next. And because he has a British accent.

7. June 1992, Peter Croft, 4:22 (record)

Ill never forget how excited I was to get to climb with Peter Croft, who was already a legend in his own time. Or how, shortly into the climb, he ripped off his shirt. The guy sent the Nose in just a pair of shorts.

8. July 1992, Lynn Hill, 8:40 (male-female record)