American climber Alex Honnold has once again pushed the limits of human endurance after becoming the first person to free solo climb Taiwan’s tallest building, Taipei 101.
The 40-year-old climber completed the ascent on Sunday without a rope, harness or safety net, scaling the iconic 101-storey skyscraper in front of hundreds of stunned spectators gathered at its base.
Solo climb of El Capitan
Alex Honnold, best known for his gravity-defying free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, tackled the 508-metre-tall tower using only his hands, feet and climbing shoes.
The daring feat was broadcast live on Netflix, allowing viewers around the world to witness the historic climb in real time.
Spectators watched anxiously as Honnold methodically made his way up the building’s exterior, navigating ledges, architectural features and sheer vertical sections with trademark calm and precision.
Taipei 101, once the tallest building in the world, is one of Taiwan’s most recognisable landmarks.
Widespread reaction
The achievement has sparked widespread reaction online, with many praising Honnold’s skill and composure, while others expressed disbelief at the level of risk involved.
Honnold has not yet confirmed what his next challenge will be, but fans and critics alike agree that his latest climb further cements his status as one of the greatest climbers of all time.
At one point near the top, Honnold went ‘no hands’, removing them both to rub more powder on his hands, drawing gasps from the commentators.
The video has been views over 12 million times at the time of publishing.
Reunite with his wife
After an hour and a half, he successfully made it up 1 667 feet (508 metres) before triumphantly rappelling down to reunite with his wife, Sanni McCandless Honnold.
It had always been a dream of Honnold’s to add scaling Taipei 101 to his list of achievements he told reporters, adding that his first request had been rejected. He did not offer more details about why this was the case.
Alex Honnold is the first person to free solo climb Taipei 101, without a rope, harness, or safety net, but not the first to reach its peak.
In 2004, Alain Robert, dubbed “the French Spiderman,” was the first to take on the challenge, but used safety ropes because of the rainy conditions.
Robert was quick to take to social media and post: “That was awesome 👌”
The event, titled “Skyscraper Live”, was scheduled to be broadcast on Netflix on Saturday, but it was postponed due to bad weather.
Dressed in a red T-shirt and yellow custom-made climbing shoes, Honnold moved up the southeast face of the glass and steel building swiftly on Sunday when better weather permitted the climb.
At one point, he stepped onto a platform midway up to wave down at fans and onlookers who were taking photos.
People watching from inside the building could be seen gawking and tapping at the glass, as Honnold moved past the enclosed observation deck on the 89th floor.
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