For 92 minutes on a sunny Sunday morning in Taipei, thousands of nervous spectators stared upward while people around the world were riveted to their screens to watch famous climber Alex Honnold make a desperate attempt to scale one of the tallest skyscrapers on Earth.
At 10:43 a.m. local time, he climbed the last inch of the metal spire atop Taipei 101 and stood at the 1,667-foot (508-meter) summit, smiling and waving to cheering fans below—a sight that will undoubtedly become an iconic moment in climbing folklore.
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He was the first known climber to climb Taipei 101 free-solo, meaning climbing without the use of ropes, safety nets or other equipment, just bare hands and a chalk bag to aid gripping.
“It’s amazing, I’m sure I’ll be glowing for days, it’s incredible,” Honnold said at a news conference after completing the climb. “You spend a long time thinking about it and imagining that it’s possible, but actually doing it always feels different.”
Alex Honnold climbs the Taipei 101 skyscraper on January 25, 2026. – Provided by Netflix
Honnold, 40, has been a recognized figure in the climbing community for nearly two decades, having gained fame in his early 20s for his successful free climbs on challenging routes.
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But he became a household name around the world in 2017 when he became the first person to free climb El Capitan, a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park – a nerve-wracking climb documented in the award-winning documentary Free Solo.
He has since continued climbing and setting new records. Although he had been following Taipei 101 for more than a decade, the opportunity never materialized until it was pitched to Netflix, which broadcast his climb live. Honnold calls it “the largest urban free climb ever built.”
Honnold stands on top of Taipei 101 after completing a free climb. – Provided by Netflix
The climb was originally scheduled for Saturday morning local time but was rescheduled due to bad weather. Sunday dawned with bright sunshine, blue skies and light winds, allowing the climb to proceed smoothly.
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“The biggest challenge for me personally is staying calm. Having the crowd, having the full experience, having everyone around makes it feel even more intense,” he added. “But as I climbed, I relaxed more and more, like, ‘Oh, this is so fun, this is why I do this.'”
He is not the first person to scale Taipei 101: French climber Alain Robert climbed to the top using a rope in 2004. Robert was invited to climb the building as part of its official public opening, but conditions that day were much worse, with rain and high winds, making his climb take up to four hours to Honnold’s hour and a half.
Both Robert and Honnold said the climb was not too challenging or complex compared to the usual rock formations and mountains they climb. For example, instead of the sleek glass of skyscrapers, Honnold captured the metal structures, ledges and beams.
There are several technically more difficult moves on the way to the top. But Honnold cleared them effortlessly and moved quickly up the building. Sometimes he would stop for a break on the balcony and wave to the crowd below.
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His nervous wife, Sanni McCandless, watched from inside Taipei 101, waving to her husband on the other side of the glass as he passed her floor. After he reached the top, she met him on the balcony below the spire, hugged him and joked, “I basically had a panic attack the whole time.”
On January 25, 2026, Alex Honnold was free climbing the Taipei 101 building. – John Mees/CNN
Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building when it opened in 2004 until it was overtaken by Dubai’s 2,717-foot (828-meter) Burj Khalifa. Ten other buildings taller than Taipei 101 have since been built, including One World Trade Center in New York, but it remains one of Taipei’s wonders as it is the city’s tallest building.
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te was quick to congratulate Honnold on his “truly nerve-wracking” performance. He hopes the event will allow the world to see “the enthusiasm of the Taiwanese people and the island’s beautiful mountains and scenery,” he said.
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After the climb, Honnold said he hoped people watching would be inspired by his climb to pursue their own challenges or goals. And, in his trademark matter-of-fact fashion, he summed up his accomplishments in a few sentences:
“Awesome. What a great day.”
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