Over the past week we've seen Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell continue to push boundaries on El Capitan in Yosemite by setting new speed records every couple of days, all the while maintaining that they could go faster with an ultimate goal of breaking the two hour barrier. Yesterday, they did just that, setting an impressive new mark that is going to stand as a landmark in climbing for the age.After first smashing the speed record on The Nose last Thursday, then breaking that record again on Monday, Honnold and Caldwell returned to rock yesterday with one goal in mind – lower their time below the two hour mark. Setting off at 6:00 AM local time, the two men zipped up the route, finishing in a mind-blowing 1 hour, 58 minutes, and 7 seconds. That means, over the course of just a single week they managed to shave more than 20 minutes off the previous speed record that as set last fall. In the process, they also achieved the climbing equivalent of the sub-two hour marathon.
At this point, there aren't a whole lot of superlatives to pile on what Alex and Tommy have achieved. The past week has been a spectacular one for them in the Valley and it is hard to imagine another climbing team out there that can match or beat this new record, at least for now. No word yet on whether or not Honnold and Caldwell plan to continue trying best their current time or if they're ready to move on to another route. Normally I'd expect them to call it a day for now, but these two continue to surprise us.
Congratulations to Alex and Tommy on a job well done.
Sub 2 hour Nose! When @alexhonnold and @tommycaldwell team up, they’re unstoppable. This morning on El Capitan these superheroes clocked a time of 1:58:07! In this outrageous @austin_siadak image, the techniques used to climb so fast are apparent — it’s not your average day at the crag. Stay tuned for the full story in an upcoming REEL ROCK film. @thenorthface @blackdiamond @yeti @gopro A post shared by REEL ROCK (@reelrock) on Jun 6, 2018 at 9:43am PDT
