Speed Climbing Iconic Walls Without a Rope - Hans Florine

The "nose" of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park is one of the world's most iconic big wall climbing routes that was first climbed by Warren Harding in 1958. It took him 45 days. As the current record holder Hans Florine explains "A lot has happened since then." Florine teamed up with Alex Honnold in 2012 to complete the 2,950 foot route in 2 hours 23 minutes and 46 seconds. Florine is one of the pioneers of speed climbing and has climbed El Capitan's nose route 97 times. His love affair with the scenery and granite walls in Yosemite continues to motivate him. He set his last El Cap speed record when he was 48 years old. He still free soloes, but counts on his fitness and experience on El Capitan to keep him safe. Plus, he puts it into perspective for non-climbers: He compares a quarter-inch toe-hold on a rock face to a ladder rung for people who don't climb professionally.