WE got the record! 2:43:33

Big time CONGRATULATIONS to both of you from the flatlands of San Antonio, TX. What an awesome show! Hans, hope you took time for a long hot bath and remembered to give your mom a valium!!

WAY TO GO!!!

Dagne

What a grand day out!

I had a blast, thanks again for everything.

Tom Frost: "The only people who don't like you, don't know you."

The whole thing is just too freaking cool! After 30 years of avid rock climbing, I just can't stop thinking about it. I'm thrilled with the ability level that I have achieved after all these years, yet you and Yugi...whoa! I love it, you must be so psyched! That feeling of utter and extreme competence must be...sweet! Congratulations, you guys rule.

Hans’s play by play of Wednesday July 2nd 2008.(credit to Bill Wright for dictation first draft.)

Wednesday at about 6:05 am we arrive at the base of Pine Line. Around a dozen people with us as we prep to leave the ground. Another two dozen along the trail in the forest below.

We solo up Pine Line to the ledge at the base of the first pitch to meet Tom Frost’s smile and camera.(Can’t wait to see the black and whites)

We do a warm up climb on the first pitch around 6:25am. Yuji takes a 20-foot fall onto a bashie if that popped it would have been bad. He had tick-marked a foothold and on the practice run thought it was a handhold. So he fell.

We rapped off the first anchor and rested 5 minutes.(leaving no fixed gear)

GEAR: Didn't bring any #3 Camalots and just one #2 Camalot and one #1 Camalot, two .75 Camalots, and one .5 Camalot. Then doubles below that. Four nuts, one cam hook, 18 quickdraws, four long runners. One Yates Rocker.

We started at 6:43:30 am. Hans arrived at the top of the first pitch in 5:20 (5:22 on Sunday the 29th).

Get to Sickle in 16:30 (16:20 on Sunday). Rocker used at the left side of Sickle. First gear exchange at the pitch 6/7 pendulum into the Dolt hole cracks and Stovelegs. Yuji puts the rocker on at the top of the 9th pitch to protect Hans on the weird 5.10 section just below this belay. 51 minutes to the top of Dolt, after getting the rope stuck on pitch 9 where Hans had to rap down 20 feet, free the rope, while Yuji was waiting. They lost a minute here. Yuji Fixes at the top of Dolt (first time they fix the rope). He climbs on 100-feet of slack while Hans jugs. We simul-climb to the top of Texas Flake and fix at the top. Hans jugs outside of Texas while Yuji starts bolt ladder. Hans simul-climbs the bolts while Yuji climbs the Boot. 1h13m for both of us to Eagle Ledge (1h03m for Yuji to the top of Texas Flake).

On the King Swing Hans hands Yuji the gear for the second time.Hans does a 360-degree barrel roll and the crowd goes nuts. Yuji drinks half a can of Xcyto energy drink at Eagle Ledge and Hans has the leftovers to chase his Double caffeine Tangerine Power Gel.

Yuji puts a Rocker on at the end of the 5.12a traverse (5.10c grabbing the bolts). Yuji clips the bolt on pitch 20 and goes from there to the top of pitch 21 (right past Camp IV) without any other gear. Yuji fixes at the start of the Great Roof pitch and while Hans jugs.

Hans was at Camp IV, what he has always called the halfway point, in 1h37m. That's not record pace. Of course he is revising the halfway point downwards. They averaged 5m06s per pitch for the entire route. In 2002 they averaged 5:27 a pitch.

Yuji climbs the 5.11 start of the Great Roof with just a loop of rope. As soon as Hans gets up there, Yuji hauls up gear on 4 mil cord, for third gear replenishment. Hans simul climbs the 5.11 first 35 feet of the roof pitch. Yuji just clips the fixed gear on the roof, so he only had 5 pieces across the roof. Yuji doesn't place any extra gear, he tensions and reaches between the fixed gear.

Hans was at the bottom of Pancake Flake in 1h48m.

Yuji fixes at the top of the Pancake Flake and by then Hans is 2/3's of the way up the pitch. Hans jugs the end of that pitch (11d) while Yuji climbs unbelayed up the 5.11 groove and then fixes again at base of camp 5. Hans jugs the groove then simulclimbs the 5.easy stuff up to the top ledge of Camp 5 while Yuji leads the Glowering Spot pitch (5.12c). during Pitch 25 Yuji pulls up 4th and last gear replenishment before reaching the top. Yuji uses a combination of French Free and aid climbing and fixes at the top of the pitch. Yuji climbs the next 5.11a pitch without a belay while Hans jugs. Yuji short-fixes again at the lower section of Camp VI. Hans jugs then simul-climbs the 5.8 below Camp VI and the 5.10d above Camp VI to get to the first bolt which is to the left of the Changing Corners. Note Hans passes by Camp six at 2:17 into the climb. Yuji clips three bolts here before swinging into the corner on the right.

Yuji fixes at the top of the Changing Corners pitch while Hans jugs,Yuji climbs the 10d handcrack without a belay and without placing gear until clipping some fixed gear near the top.

Yuji fixes again at top of pitch 28 and Hans jugs. Hans says he was pretty wasted at this point and not simul-climbing, but did get up 20 feet above the belay before Yuji fixed him. Yuji fixes again at the base of the 10b crack, aka wild stance, and takes off. Wild stance at 2h33m with just the 10b crack and the bolt ladder and finishing slab to go. When Hans gets to this belay he doesn't even bother putting Yuji on belay. He simul-climbs the 10b crack and climbs the bolt ladder. Yuji places no gear in the 10b crack because he has no gear left. Yuji leads from the base of the Glowering Spot to the summit without re-gearing!!! And this a very small rack!

Yuji arrives at the top tree and pulls the rope in as Hans climbs, crawls, scrambles, and runs to the tree. Hans lays gasping for air as Yuji comes close to see the time on the watch.

Monday: 4:48
Thursday: 3:28
Sunday: 2:47
Wednesday: 2:43:33 (previous record was 2:45:48)

Congratulations!

Bill Wright, edited by Hans Florine 7/5/08

Hi Hans, congratulations.
Just to wonder, who did the timing? Did both you and Yuji time, separately? Or was one person in charge of timing?
Did anyone else time you?
Do you have a video of the entire 2:43:43?

Hans did the official timing. However a loud cheer went up when they started and when they finished and a number of other people were also timing according to that, mostly just to be able to follow along.

I don't think anyone got the whole 2:43, but there's a lot of footage that will eventually be seen.

Congratulations to Hans and Yuji! Old guys rule! For the first time in several years I have taken up a birthday challenge. 50 crew stops on the infamous Badwater 135 ... done (Thanks Jacki!), 50 sets of 50 situps ... 3 days and 7 sets into this one, 50 miles on foot ... 24 and counting after my longest run since 1994 (8 miles), 50 miles on bike (to begin in a few days when I go home to Joshua Tree), and finally 50 routes in 50 hours ... I wonder if I get this one on the first try. I would also like to break the 50 mile barrier on my hang glider this year. It is great to have such wonderful people in my life. Thanks for being you!

;o} Mike "the dog" Lopez

I am weak. That is my only excuse.