New Speed Record on El Capitan

[AlaskaNative]

SF Chronicle article.

[Gary_Yngve]

As the two climbers neared the top, they let it all hang out. Florine stopped belaying - feeding Hirayama rope and being in position to arrest his fall - leaving Hirayama virtually on his own on the last three hair-raising pitches. For some 300 feet Hirayama was doing what is called "French free-climbing," which means he clambered up without protection, gripping only tiny vertical cracks, with a few bolts, nuts and old fixed pitons here and there to hold onto.

 

Had he lost his grip, he would have plunged 150 feet until the rope caught on an anchor. Such a fall could very well prove fatal - or at least crippling. If, for some reason, the anchor itself didn't hold, Hirayama would in all likelihood have pulled Florine off the wall and they both would have fallen at least 2,600 feet to their deaths.

 

 

This part kinda freaked me out. Reads like ANAM waiting to happen.

I can understand taking risks for soloing and being careful, but this was basically soloing and at their speed, borderline reckless. Does anyone but them actually give a damn about shaving a few seconds off the speed ascent?

 

[pink]

 

 

shaved just over 6 minutes off their record, that's a little more than a few seconds. now that's OFF-THE-HOOK. just sayin.

Edited October 13, 2008 by pink

[Clarence]

I think that kind of risk taking is sort of inherent in speed climbing at that level. While watching "To the Limit", a documentary about the Huber brothers' attempt for the El Cap speed record, I noticed that at some belay stations they were using a single quickdraw for their anchor! Another common practice was running the pitches out so that many of them only contained one or two pieces of protection for the whole ropelength. These guys are just operating on a different level.

[ivan]

dude, who DOESN'T want to see something like this go fantastically wrong? it's like nascar, only way less interesting to 99% of americans

[E-rock]

Shut up, Gary.

[Choada_Boy]

Does anyone but them actually give a damn about shaving a few seconds off the speed ascent?

 

The dudes that previously beat their previous record. And why are you such a pussy? These dudes can climb 5.20 X, so french freeing 300 feet of climbing with no pro is like walking down a sidewalk. They'll probably ditch the rope altogether next season, when they shave another 2 seconds off of their time.

[E-rock]

Shut the fuck up, Justin.

[RuMR]

[Raindawg]

 

not compared to dwanus!

[RuMR]

still crying, baby??

[billcoe]

Nice story. This news was previously posted on CC.com.

 

Commin' at ya the speed of the internet!

[Gary_Yngve]

Half my point is my personal sense of what's cool. I think alpine-style first ascents are cool. I don't really care for speed climbing records. This is strictly my personal opinion.

 

But the second point addresses Hans's personality. There's a classic paper addressing the psychology of individuals and parties, and how that relates to getting caught in avalanches. With respect to that, Hans is clearly the lion, complacently brave. His miss on the pendulum because of some jackass handstand stunt says it all.

[JBo6]

To me it seems that his personality was basically "screw it, add a little playing to the audience for the heckuvit". It seems that earlier you talked about them saving time and added in: "Does anyone but them actually give a damn about shaving a few seconds off the speed ascent" But now you give him a hard time for playing for the "fans"?

I do agree with you, alpine FA's seem a little cooler, but climbing El Cap quicker than I could probably climb a ladder is kinda impressive too.

[pink]

Half my point is my personal sense of what's cool. I think alpine-style first ascents are cool. I don't really care for speed climbing records. This is strictly my personal opinion.

 

But the second point addresses Hans's personality. There's a classic paper addressing the psychology of individuals and parties, and how that relates to getting caught in avalanches. With respect to that, Hans is clearly the lion, complacently brave. His miss on the pendulum because of some jackass handstand stunt says it all.

 

 

 

 

 

[summerprophet]

I think alpine-style first ascents are cool.

With respect to that, Hans is clearly the lion, complacently brave. His miss on the pendulum because of some jackass handstand stunt says it all.

 

I have both crashed at Hans' place as well as climbed with him. While he is known primarilly for his obsession with the Nose, he has done far more than that, including alpine style first ascents. Per his description though, "you end up being cold and miserable most of the time, and just sit on your butt waiting for good weather".

 

Hans' public image and his personal image are quite different. He is quite calm and collected, and be assured, I am positive that any "jackass hand stunt" was analyzed, calculated and timed.

 

Hans' has discovered what he truly loves. I think its cool he likes the nose enough to have done it 60+ times.

[E-rock]

Gary's personal sense of what's cool certainly hasn't gotten him very far with the ladies.

[canyondweller]

Gary's personal sense of what's cool certainly hasn't gotten him very far with the ladies.

 

Nothing cool about that goober, to be sure.

[willstrickland]

WTF? French freeing bolt ladders and short fixing are madman suicide tactics!

 

 

[G-spotter]

What is the human+dog Nose speed record? Is there GPS track plus three witnesses?

[Gary_Yngve]

Hans' public image and his personal image are quite different. He is quite calm and collected, and be assured, I am positive that any "jackass hand stunt" was analyzed, calculated and timed.

 

Hans' has discovered what he truly loves. I think its cool he likes the nose enough to have done it 60+ times.

 

It's cool that you know the more personal side of Hans. From your angle, it sounds like he climbs the Nose with "German precision" and can probably recite every hold, every gear placement.

 

What I got out of the article was:

 

He tried adding a new trick to the pendulum. He missed the finish and had to do it again, costing precious time. His partner may not have been aware of Hans's intention to do this new trick. This failed trick certainly had a consequence; it cost them time.

 

Higher up, they cut extra corners on safety to save time. I would think if they were concerned about time, Hans wouldn't have had added that trick. Something here just doesn't quite mesh.

 

Hans can do whatever he wants to do.. I just get nervous reading it, even with your reassurance of his mindset. I hope any partner of mine would slap me upside the head were I to be the lion. (Hey, it's sunny, let's skip digging a pit so we can beat that other party to get first turns down the powpow!)

[E-rock]

Shut up, Gary

[Cobra_Commander]

you wouldn't catch joe the plumber up there with those maniacs

 

i bet they didn't wash their hands after taking a dump either

[pink]

Hans' public image and his personal image are quite different. He is quite calm and collected, and be assured, I am positive that any "jackass hand stunt" was analyzed, calculated and timed.

 

Hans' has discovered what he truly loves. I think its cool he likes the nose enough to have done it 60+ times.

 

It's cool that you know the more personal side of Hans. From your angle, it sounds like he climbs the Nose with "German precision" and can probably recite every hold, every gear placement.

 

What I got out of the article was:

 

He tried adding a new trick to the pendulum. He missed the finish and had to do it again, costing precious time. His partner may not have been aware of Hans's intention to do this new trick. This failed trick certainly had a consequence; it cost them time.

 

Higher up, they cut extra corners on safety to save time. I would think if they were concerned about time, Hans wouldn't have had added that trick. Something here just doesn't quite mesh.

 

Hans can do whatever he wants to do.. I just get nervous reading it, even with your reassurance of his mindset. I hope any partner of mine would slap me upside the head were I to be the lion. (Hey, it's sunny, let's skip digging a pit so we can beat that other party to get first turns down the powpow!)