Hans Florine has been a familiar face in the Touchstone Community for years; first as a climber, then a consultant for our indoor crack systems, and finally as the manager of Diablo Rock Gym in Concord, Ca. Hans also has a few other accolades up his sleeve… He holds numerous speed climbing records around the world and has climbed The Nose of El Cap over 100 times!
On the Nose, a memoir of Han’s obsession with El Cap, is now on sale!
Climbing History
Hans is a big-wall climbing legend in his own time. He holds the speed record on the Nose route of El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite cliff in Yosemite Valley that’s considered the Everest of the rock-climbing world. Ascending the Nose takes most climbers anywhere from 12 to 96 hours. Florine, along with climbing partner Alex Honnold, does it in an astounding 2.5 hours.
Record Breaking
But Florine’s story is not one of super-human athletic prowess; it’s one of persistence and dogged determination. In 30 years of climbing, Hans has ascended the Nose a mind-blowing, death-defying 100 times, more than anyone else ever has, and most likely ever will.
In On the Nose, Florine describes the most dangerous, pivotal, and inspirational of those climbs, providing a rare look inside the adrenaline-charged world of competitive climbing in Yosemite Valley. He tells of his very first attempt on the Nose, which ended in failure after 14 hours, his friendships (and rivalries) with climbing’s most colorful personalities, and his battle with Dean Potter to secure the definitive speed record on the Nose—an endeavor that’s been called the wildest competition known to man.
But.. Why?
Perhaps more interestingly, Florine attempts to answer the question, why. Why would anyone undertake one of the greatest adventure epics on earth 100 times? His answers provide unique insights on how to live a satisfying life, how to achieve big goals, and how an otherwise ordinary guy can become a rock star.
Coming Soon to a Touchstone Climbing Gym Near You
We’re so proud to have a best-selling author on our team! Hans will be visiting each Touchstone Climbing Gym this fall on his whirlwind book tour, so be sure to check dates to get an autographed copy. You can buy the book now on Amazon, and we’ll also offer it in our retail areas.
September 1st at REI
September 6th at Diablo Rock Gym
September 16th at Great Western Power Co
October 14th at Dogpatch Boulders
More dates coming soon!
