speed record on the 3rd flatiron

what is the all time speed climbing record for the 3rd flatiron?
is this the standard east face route or a different path?

bonus question: its been recorded that a guy did this on roller skates. i think skates could smear better but blades would have an edge in edging techniques. what roller footwear is best for climbing? (and why would anyone care or try it!?)

Third Flatiron - Via East Face, car-to car:
Dave Mackey, 00:33:17 on 2004-08-05
This was done with a rappel down the West face on a pre-placed rope.

The "unassisted" record including a downclimb of the south chimney:
Bill Briggs, 00:36:27 on 1989-07-24.

These are both blistering times. For perspective, my times have been just over 45 minutes and it's all I can do to get there. For reference I run sub-20-minute 5K's... reasonable but not "fast."

These guys are amazing athletes It takes a real athlete to break 40 minutes on the 3rd or 1st. The speed record has more to do with aerobic capacity and fitness than with climbing. Stefan Griebel is probably the fastest guy on the rock (~6 minutes) but you spend more time running than climbing, so the crown goes to the best runners.

Those times are roundtrip from the parking lot, right?

Yes, that's correct. More specifically the "official" start and finish is the trashcan on Kinnikinnick road (corner of the parking lot, next to the ranger cottage). There are very strict rules about this kind of thing.

It takes me 30 minutes just to leave the parking lot some mornings;)

Regarding the roller skate ascent: this is quoted in a lot of places, even guidebooks, but I don't know the original reference. I would guess that an ascent really did occur in the 60's or 70's, before roller blades were invented. Remember those roller skates with the big rubber brake in the front? Maybe the guy just smeared up on those brakes? Does it count if you remove the wheels? I have never heard any details on the infamous roller skate ascent.

The gauntlet is down for a modern inline ascent! Who will be stupid enough to try it? Maybe you could back up on the back brakes? I think a "clean ascent" should be using a model without brakes, and you can't remove the wheels! At least the trip down would be fast ...

I want to see a speed descent record on rollers - either skates or blades would be OK. Parachute optional.

There is a picture of Dale Johnson (i believe) in Godfrey & Cheltons Climb climbing it in roller skates. They were the old metal-wheeled skates and it looks like he edged up it sideways. Probably late-fifties or early-sixties...

'Climb' is a must read about the history of climbing in Colorado. Also, in 'Climb' it is rumoured that a Jeep was 'driven' to the top (winched).

Derek is correct, I found the photo on p. 18 of "Climb"! They are the kind of roller skates that you tie onto your shoes. The caption reads: "Dale Johnson climbing the Third Flatiron in the 1950's - in roller skates!"

What version of Climb! are you looking in? My version doesn't seem to have the pic :( I have the crummy new version of the book that falls apart!

Concerning the roller skates - There may have been more than one ascent in skates, but the one most are familiar with has a slight taint to the stunt. The wheels were glued to keep them from moving.

I have the old version, copyright 1977.

So, has anyone climbed the Third with banana peels strapped to their feet yet? The roller skate thing has been played. Or how about nude covered in lard?

Nude: check.

Covered in lard: check.

A feather duster up my ass and wearing a snorkel and mask while nude and covered in lard: check.

you guys are silly. thanks for replies

Resurrecting a really old thread here...

Does anyone know if there's a speed record for all three flatirons with downclimbs? Lately I've been timing myself from the ranger cottage and then climbing up the face and down the back of all three, starting with the third and ending with the first. I don't think I'd be anywhere close to a record (I'm not a runner), but I'm just curious.

The record for all three including downclimbs, round trip from the Ranger Cottage is. 1H, 9Min, 13 sec.

More Flatty records here: wwwright.com/climbing/speed…

The record for all 5 Flattys is 2:01:48!

I Climbed The Third in Rollerblades circa 1984.
I tightened the nuts on my blades so the wheels barely turned.
It was maybe a year earlier that it was downclimbed in the dark, ropeless, during a rainstorm, while on LSD.

I believe it was Dale Johnson who did the 3rd with rollarskates..........mid-1960s.

Malcolm Daly wrote:The record for all three including downclimbs, round trip from the Ranger Cottage is. 1H, 9Min, 13 sec. More Flatty records here: wwwright.com/climbing/speed… The record for all 5 Flattys is 2:01:48!