On the Nose: A Lifelong Obsession with Yosemite’s Most Iconic Climb

By Hans Florine, with Jayme Moye
Author: Kelsey Gray. Climb Year: 2016. Publication Year: 2017.

On the Nose: A Lifelong Obsession with Yosemite’s Most Iconic Climb. Hans Florine, with Jayme Moye. Falcon Guides, 2016. Hardcover, 240 pages, $25.

Hans Florine is one of the great rock climbers of our generation, having reached that echelon primarily on the back of one climb: the Nose of El Capitan. He’s had plenty of other gigs, with wins in climbing competitions around the world, but once he stepped foot on the Big Stone it would forever change his legacy. Florine’s On The Nose, coauthored with Jayme Moye, is a book that is filled with so much information that, at times, can feel like an over-explanation. This can be one of its best qualities, however, as the book is not just written for those who have fallen into the same wonderful lifelong climbing trap but also for new climbers or just the casual couch adventurer.

As an experienced climber you’ll rip through the pages and be swallowed by Florine’s determination. There are few in the world who could tell you the exact second they finished a climb, and even fewer who would have calculated that finish to the second beforehand. This obsession seems at times a test of Florine’s sanity as he struggles to shave seconds from a climb that begins to sound almost casual as he gains experience. When you remember that each event he relates is happening thousands of feet above the ground, then you know why your palms are sweating while reading.

Beyond the most famous rock climb in the world, we get a small glimpse into what shaped the man who would become obsessed. Undefeated for years in speed climbing, he became one of the first rock climbers known in the mainstream world, before Honnold came along and soloed his way to infamy. Each moment is told quickly, like it’s another speed climb; the pages turn quickly as you work to keep up, and when you reach the end you’ll be wishing for one more page.

Learning the history and methods of the Nose’s most dedicated admirer is a ride well worth taking. When you’re finished and the book is resting neatly on the shelf, you’ll probably be halfway to Yosemite, wondering who to call for your own first run up the Big Stone.

– Kelsey Gray



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