Hans Florine and Alex Honnold raced up the Nose of El Capitan in 2 hours 37 minutes 30 seconds on Tuesday, the third-fastetst time in history. Their time was just 45 seconds slower than the record for Yosemite Valley’s most iconic route, set in 2010 by Sean Leary and Dean Potter.

This was Florine and Honnold’s third speedy trip up the route this fall, and each time they’ve made huge time gains, from 4:37 to 3:16 to 2:37. The two hope to try again later this week; however, the forecast calls for rain or snow in the Valley on Thursday night and Friday. “We are at the mercy of the weather and my recovery time,” Florine said. “It’ll be frustrating if we have to wait until 2012.”

Florine has been setting speed records on the Nose and then taking them back from rival parties for more than 20 years. Before Leary and Potter’s run, Florine held the record with Yuji Hirayama at 2:37:05, set in 2008. At age 47, Florine began his climbing career two years before his partner, Honnold, was born.

Asked what prevented them from breaking the record this time, Florine had a precise answer: “I lost 46 seconds on a screw-up in the Great Roof, where I did a long lower-out and lost control of the rope [leading up to Honnold].” Florine had to tie off to the anchor and then “via ferrata” out along the roof to grab the errant cord.

Florine added that he was “out of breath and panting through the Stove Leg [cracks]. Coming from [my home at] 600 feet to 4,200 feet in the Valley, I was feeling it. If we get another attempt, I should be a little more cardio fit, but not a lot.

“But then,” he added, “I only need 45 seconds.”

Date of ascent: November 1, 2011

Source courtesy: Hans Florine – Climbing.com