Alex Honnold Scales Taipei 101 In Record-Breaking Free Solo

On a blustery Saturday morning in Taipei, American climber Alex Honnold achieved what many thought was impossible: a free solo ascent of the towering Taipei 101 skyscraper, all without a rope or harness. The feat, streamed live to a global audience on Netflix, added yet another jaw-dropping chapter to Honnold’s storied career. Over the course of 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 40 seconds—well under the two-hour window set for the broadcast—Honnold scaled the 1,667-foot, 101-story building, cementing the highest urban free solo climb in history.

Honnold’s climb was no ordinary urban adventure. Taipei 101, once the world’s tallest building and still the tallest in Taiwan, stands as a marvel of engineering and architectural symbolism. Its bamboo-inspired segments and curved features, like the Ruyi and ornamental dragon heads, posed unique challenges far removed from the granite faces of Yosemite National Park, where Honnold first became a household name. The building’s steel and glass façade offered little in the way of grip, forcing Honnold to rely on extraordinary hand, foot, and upper body strength to create holds where none truly existed. The wind, too, was a constant adversary, growing stronger as he climbed higher and threatening to call off the event if conditions became too dangerous—a fact highlighted by engineer and YouTube personality Mark Rober, who provided expert commentary during the live stream.

“I don’t think it’ll be that extreme … We’ll see. I think it’s the perfect sweet spot where it’s hard enough to be engaging for me and obviously an interesting climb,” Honnold had remarked on a recent podcast with fellow climber Alain Robert, known as the “French Spiderman.” Yet, as the world watched, it became clear that even Honnold’s legendary calm would be tested by the skyscraper’s slick surfaces and unpredictable winds.

Originally scheduled for Friday, the climb was postponed due to rain—a delay that only heightened the anticipation. The previous night’s downpour left the building’s exterior dirty and greasy, creating additional hazards. Honnold was seen pausing on ledges to wipe grime from the soles of his shoes, a small but crucial detail in a climb where every ounce of traction mattered. “The exterior grime created grease on the bottoms of Honnold’s shoes, which he would wipe off while taking a break after reaching one of the skyscraper’s ledges,” reported Yahoo Sports’ live blog.

As Honnold ascended, he navigated the building’s three distinct phases, each marked by architectural quirks and formidable obstacles. The Ruyi features—curved, talismanic shapes representing contentment in Chinese art—offered little in the way of traditional handholds. Yet Honnold, ever the technician, stretched his right leg to push up on the structure and pulled himself atop, pausing briefly to rest and stretch his hands. “Alex Honnold’s incredible hand strength is one of the talents that allows him to climb, especially on the smoother surfaces of the Taipei 101 facade,” noted commentator Emily Harrington.

The climb’s most nerve-wracking moments came as Honnold approached the final overhangs near the top. With crowds gathered on the streets below and spectators peering from windows inside the building, he let his feet dangle freely while canvassing the edges—eliciting audible gasps from onlookers. At one point, he hung on solely with his legs, arms swinging loose in the wind. “Look, Ma! No hands!” exclaimed one social media post, capturing the collective anxiety and awe of those watching.

Throughout the ascent, the Netflix production team maintained a ten-second delay on the live broadcast, a precaution to shield viewers from any potentially distressing scenes. “It’s going to be an edge-of-your-seat TV experience for sure,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos told investors prior to the event. The climb marked Netflix’s first international live event, underscoring the company’s ambitions to become a powerhouse in live sports and entertainment programming.

Upon reaching the spire’s tip, Honnold paused to take a triumphant selfie—a moment of celebration after a feat no other climber has matched. He then donned a harness and used a rope for the descent, meeting his wife, Sanni McCandless, for an emotional reunion and photo. “I was really happy once it just started. There wasn’t any waiting, and he got to do what he wanted to do,” McCandless shared with CNN, reflecting on the anxiety and relief of watching her husband’s daring ascent.

Honnold’s achievement drew congratulations from around the world, including from Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te, who called the spectacle “truly nerve-wracking” and praised the event for showcasing both the warmth of the Taiwanese people and the beauty of the island’s landscape. The president noted that the broadcast allowed the world to see Taipei 101 in a new light, not just as an architectural icon but as a stage for human achievement.

For Honnold, the climb was the culmination of a decade-long dream to scale a skyscraper. “I think about risk and death and mortality, all those kinds of things, far more than the average person,” he told CNN. “I mean, you’re obviously faced with your own mortality all the time, but you’re choosing to do them anyway because it provides richness and meaning to your life.”

His approach to risk and preparation is legendary. Honnold is best known for his 2017 free solo of Yosemite’s El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite monolith, immortalized in the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo.” That climb was hailed as “the moon landing of free-soloing” by fellow climber Tommy Caldwell and set a new bar for what’s possible in the sport. Yet, as Honnold noted, urban environments pose their own unique set of challenges—slick surfaces, unpredictable weather, and the psychological pressure of an audience watching every move.

Despite the notoriety and danger, Honnold remains grounded, prioritizing his family above all. He trains five days a week but admits his two young children are blissfully unaware of his exploits. “I don’t think they even know what dad does. I don’t think they know what climbing is when we’re bouldering, kind of climbing small rocks,” he shared. Still, he’s open to his children following in his footsteps, preferring the calculated risks of climbing over other youthful pursuits.

As the dust settles on this historic event, the world is left with a powerful image: Alex Honnold, arms raised atop one of the world’s tallest buildings, a testament to human endurance and ambition. “One of the things that I learned from the film ‘Free Solo’ over the years is that people often take the message that they need from it,” Honnold reflected. “Often they’ll watch something like this and it’s a reminder that their time is finite and they should use it in the best way, the most meaningful way that they can. If anything, I hope that that’s what people take from it.”

With the wind still swirling high above Taipei, Alex Honnold’s latest triumph will inspire climbers and dreamers alike to reach for new heights—one daring move at a time.