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Watch: Alex Honnold completes free solo climb of Taipei 101 in 1 hour, 35 minutes
While the climb was solo, he was not alone in the sense that the world was watching, as his daring expedition was live-streamed on Netflix
- PUBLISHED: Sun 25 Jan 2026, 7:20 AM UPDATED: Sun 25 Jan 2026, 7:44 AM
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Legendary rock climber Alex Honnold successfully completed his free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper, which stands at a staggering height of 508m.
The journey took 1 hour and 35 minutes, after which he took a selfie from one of the most unique vantage points in the world. While the climb was solo, he was not alone in the sense that the world was watching, as his daring expedition was live-streamed on Netflix.
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Honnold scaled 101 storeys with no ropes, relying on just his hands, and sheer willpower. Watch the video here, as Honnold enjoys stunning views of the Taiwan skyline from a staggering height:
In a surreal moment, he met his wife at the top, embracing her in a hug after completing the daring climb. His wife, Sanni, was with him every step of the way — including a meeting between the two at the 60th floor.
Honnold stunned viewers when he hung off the skyscraper, holding on to the tower with just his legs, letting go of it with his hands.
Honnold is best known for his free scaling of big walls. He shot to global fame in 2017 when he free soloed El Capitan in California's Yosemite National Park — nearly 3,000 feet without a rope or harness.
This is the first time the American has ventured into — or rather, onto — climbing buildings, after having "spent 30 years climbing rock faces", he told Netflix.
In addition to nerves at his first attempt on a man-made structure, Honnold told Netflix before the climb that the hardest part would be the “bamboo boxes,” — eight identical segments stacked in the middle of the building, representing 64 floors.
Poojaraj Maniyeri is a Digital Journalist who loves turning everyday conversations into news stories. She is also a typical bookworm, and brings a novel with her everywhere she goes.
