When you ask Hans Florine what’s his favorite route in the world, the question is rhetorical. Hans Florine is Mr. Nose. With 100 ascents of the route up the longest section of El Capitan, Florine set the speed record on the formation with a blisteringly fast 2 hours 23 minutes 46 seconds. He’s also climbed the route in 4 days 12 hours 23 minutes 23 seconds. Needless to say, Florine knows the route well.
Florine first attempted the route in 1988 with his partner Mike Lopez. After 12 hours climbing the first 4 pitches, they bailed. A year later, Florine and Lopez climbed the route in 44 hours. We caught up with Florine to get a sense of
Why is The Nose of El Cap your favorite route?
Easy access, loads of terrain, good view, nice looking, quality rock, people to chat with along the way, and ledges to rest at if you are into that…
What’s the best part of climbing the nose?
The rock quality is amazing.
What are your favorite memories of the route?
I’ve climbed it with over 100 different people and bootied at least 20 cams, nuts, and over 40 biners.
