"Because it's there" might have sufficed as an answer 80 years ago when a New York Times reporter asked British climber George Mallory why he so badly wanted to scale Mount Everest, but for today's mountaineer, simply summiting doesn't seem to be nearly enough.

Speed is king these days, in the high alpine environment and on the climbing wall at the local gym.

Mallory died in his plodding 1924 bid to be the first to stand atop the world's highest peak (although the debate still rages as to whether he succeeded before succumbing to the elements), but by 1978, climbers such as Reinhold Messner practically were running to the top, eschewing bottled oxygen, planned bivouacs (overnight camping) and, quite often, ropes.

That style of lightweight, lightning-fast alpine climbing has caught on big time in some sectors of the climbing community, but it still carries with it the same controversy Messner stirred in the late 1970s, when he gained a reputation in some circles as a reckless renegade.

"Because it's there . . . and because I'm fast" is how Hans Florine might answer the same question put to Mallory as the Californian prepares to attempt a rare double later this month in Yosemite National Park - the northwest regular route on Half Dome and the Nose of El Capitan - in 24 hours.

Florine owns the speed record for both routes, which typically take three and four days each, but this time he'll be accompanied by 13-year-old Scott Cory, a precocious young rock jock who seems to be the baby face of the sport's future.

"Here you have a kid who's doing something that takes most people a decade to learn the skills to do, and he's only been alive for a decade and three years," said Florine, 39, a 1991 world speed-climbing champion who has been climbing for 14 years.

But the need for speed, especially on the competitive circuit dominated by artificial climbing walls, is a disturbing trend for some who believe it panders to the sport's lowest common denominator.

"The people who are most into speed climbing are the kids coming up," said Scott Rennak, of Boulder, who directs the American Bouldering Series.

"But there's only one speed-climbing competition in the U.S. for adults, and maybe that's because we don't respect it as a community, so we just don't put on those kinds of events. Who knows, maybe as these kids get older, you'll see it coming more into the mainstream."

Florine argues that, as far as the viewing public is concerned, speed climbing already has arrived. He points to its ratings popularity at ESPN's annual X Games.

"I'm not a prophet, but it's darn fun to do it and it's fun to watch, and if (competitive speed climbing's detractors) think it's going away, they're wrong."

Rennak's biggest criticism is the sport's lack of technical challenge, with some competitions staged on relatively tame 5.8 routes that climbers "paddle" their way up effortlessly. Serious climbers don't even warm up on 5.8s, Rennak said.

"It's so untechnical and so boring to real climbers, that's what keeps us away," Rennak said. "I think it's valid, I just don't think it represents any of the things that climbing is really about - technical ability, power, the ability to climb hard routes."

But Rennak is quick to point out that what Florine and Cory are attempting in Yosemite is something else altogether: "Climbing the Nose of El Capitan and Half Dome in one day, that's a noble and impressive goal."

And one with an obviously high degree of difficulty.

Rennak hopes to introduce that technical challenge to a new speed-bouldering competition on a large mushroom-shaped climbing wall at the Teva Mountain Games in Vail from June 3-6.

Florine says that's a smart move on Rennak's part, one that acknowledges the mainstream allure of speed events while incorporating the technical roots of the sport.

"What sold our sport to the mainstream audience is the speed climbing, because if you ever watch somebody difficulty climb, it's pretty slow and there's not a lot going on there," Florine said. "It's not particularly much more interesting than golf."

Bill Wright, of Boulder, who co-authored with Florine the book Climb on! Skills for More Efficient Climbing, said speed climbing shouldn't be viewed as a separate sport, because it uses many of the same techniques as traditional climbing but progresses at a more urgent pace.

"I got into (speed climbing) originally when I had kids and I had to get in a bigger climb before or after work," Wright said. "I have no desire to be a daredevil, but it's just fun to climb without anything encumbering you."

Learn more

• Competitive climbing events: Go to Scott Rennak's Web site at www.rockcomps.com or call 1-888-944-4244 for more information.

• Philosophy: For information and the philosophy behind speed climbing, go to Hans Florine's Web site at www.speedclimb.com or Bill Wright's Web site at www.wwwright.com/climbing.

• Games: For information on the Teva Mountain Games, go to www.tevamountaingames.com.

Learn more

• Competitive climbing events: Go to Scott Rennak's Web site at www.rockcomps.com or call 1-888-944-4244 for more information.

• Philosophy: For information and the philosophy behind speed climbing, go to Hans Florine's Web site at www.speedclimb.com or Bill Wright's Web site at www.wwwright.com/climbing.

• Games: For information on the Teva Mountain Games, go to www.tevamountaingames.com.

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