Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 Free Solo Ascent Stuns the World

Alex Honnold, renowned for his free solo climbs, completed a historic ascent of Taipei 101, ‍one of the world’s tallest skyscrapers, in Taiwan’s capital on Sunday, January 21, 2024. The climb,‌ broadcast live⁤ on Netflix, saw Honnold scale the 1,667-foot⁤ building without the use of ropes for the majority of the ⁤ascent.

Honnold’s Historic Climb

Honnold reached the top of⁣ taipei 101 ⁤in just over an hour and a half. Upon reaching the summit, he described the conditions as windy and expressed feeling tired, stating, “Sick,” and taking a selfie with the city skyline as a backdrop. Netflix documented the event as a live stream.

Preparation and Conditions

The‌ climb was initially scheduled for the previous day but was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions. ‍Honnold emphasized the importance of mental preparation, stating ‍in a Netflix statement, “I try to take some deep breaths, compose myself, take some​ time… ⁣There’s never ‌any time pressure, so you can spend as long as you need just hanging in one space basically trying to compose ⁣yourself.”​ He also acknowledged the physical challenge, noting that the fatigue accumulated during the climb was challenging to anticipate.

Descent and safety

After completing the free climb, Honnold secured a harness and rope ‍for his descent, rappelling down to a staging area where his wife‍ was waiting. Commentators noted he would complete the descent using ​an elevator for the remainder of the building’s height.