Yosemite’s El Capitan Rock Climbers

Speed climbers Hans Florine and Alex Honnold are determined to break the speed climbing record for El Capitan's famous Nose root. Known all over the world by climbing enthusiasts, the Nose is perhaps the most famous climbing route anywhere. It was first forged in 1957 by George Whitmore and Rich Calderwood. It took the pair 47 days in all to set the route and reach the top. The Nose was not climbed in one day until 1975. Currently most climbers take three days to complete the perilous route. But speed climbers are a different story. Just last year Dean Potter and Sean Leary set the record for climbing the Nose in just 2:36:45. Florine and Honnold recently completed the route in just 45 seconds longer than that record. The current record took 20 seconds off of the time set by Florine and another climber in 2008. After coming so close to beating the current record, Florine and Honnold are determined to try again when weather permits and set a new milestone for ascending the Nose. Florine is a former speed climbing world champion. At the age of 47 he has made a name for himself as the fastest man on El Capitan. To date, he has climbed the Nose more than 80 times and held seven speed records for the climb since 1990. Florine’s climbing partner Honnold is just 26 and the climbing world's latest superstar. Honnold was recently featured on 60 Minutes for his free solo (no rope) climbs. The pair has climbed the Nose three times together using an advanced simul-climbing technique. Typically when a pair of climbers summits the Nose one climbs while the other belays, ensuring the safety of both climbers. In a simul-climbing set up, both climbers head up the mountain at the same time while roped together. This makes climbing significantly faster but also much more dangerous. While simul-climbing a single fall can be fatal to either climber. El Capitan and Half Dome have a number of excellent climbing routes for experienced and novice mountain climbers alike. Thousands of people flock to Yosemite National Park every year to take a crack at Yosemite rock climbing. While overcrowding has led the park to issue permits that can be hard to get a hold of, the effort it takes to legally climb Half Dome and/or El Capitan is well worth it. Yosemite Lodging for Your Perfect Vacation Whether you're coming to Yosemite National Park for a climbing adventure, a river rafting getaway, or simply a relaxing romantic weekend, Scenic Wonders has great Yosemite lodging for your vacation. Our cabins, condominiums, and homes within the gates of Yosemite National Park will put you just minutes from your favorite activities. During the summer months you can cut hours off of your time in the car by staying with us rather than staying in a hotel outside of the gates of the park. Our Yosemite vacation rentals also have the added benefits of a cozy ambience, a full kitchen, plenty of beds, and enough bathrooms. Save time and money on your next Yosemite vacation by choosing a cabin rental from Scenic Wonders. Call 1-888-YOSEMITE (1-888-967-3648) to learn more about our available rental options or make your Yosemite reservations online. Scenic Wonders’ Yosemite Blog Scenic Wonders’ Yosemite Blog is updated regularly to provide our readers with the latest news, insights, activity suggestions, and lodging information. Photo credit: Alaskan Dude