Living on the edge: Alex Honnold

No rope, no harness, and one man. Building a legacy defined not just by boldness but by intense preparation, discipline and a surgical approach to risk. He constantly proves that what we once thought was impossible is in fact possible.

(Image credits to The Atlantic)

Who is Alex Honnold

Known as the greatest climber in the world, Alex Honnold is an American rock climber of Polish and German roots. He was born on August 17th, 1985, and currently lives with his wife, Sanni, and his two daughters, June and Alice. He is known for climbing free solo, meaning he does it without a rope, a harness, or support. After becoming well known for being the first human to free solo El Capitan, Alex has also free soloed Taipei 101, the nose of El Capitan, and the Yosemite triple.

Alex Honnold's career

Alex Honnold was introduced to a climbing gym at 5. Until he was 10, Alex was at the climbing gym at least once a week and was competing in competitions and tournaments on weekends. He is known for his calm demeanour on the wall and natural technical ability. After graduating Berkeley, Alex decided that climbing was the direction in which he wanted to pursue a career in so he left Berkeley. Living out of his van, Honnold first became noticed in the mid 2000s for his ropeless ascents of long, complex routes that most elite climbers wouldn’t attempt without protection. In 2008, Alex free soloed Moonlight Buttress in Zion National Park and shocked the world, making his mark. Unlike most thrill-seekers chasing adrenaline, Honnold stood out with his intense preparation. Like dancers, Alex rehearsed routes repeatedly with ropes, memorized every move, and waited until the conditions were right to climb. On June 3rd, 2017, Alex had free soloed El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, a 3,000 foot granite wall. This climb is considered one of the hardest big-wall climbs in the world. Not only is it one of the hardest, but climbers have considered it the greatest athletic feat of the modern era. While free soloing El Capitan, he hadn’t told his wife when he was going to do it and was filming a documentary, which won an Oscar Award. This incredible feat had brought him mainstream recognition and showed his mental discipline, emotional detachment from fear, and his relationships. Along with free soloing, he is an incredible climber with ropes, setting speed records on Yosemite routes like the nose, completed major alpine climbs and performed at the highest technical levels of the sport. He also dedicated his platform to support solar energy projects in underserved communities worldwide. On the 25th of January 2026, Alex had made history by becoming the first person to free solo the Taipei 101. While Netflix was live-streaming this climb, Alex had thousands from around the world watching him climb this 508m tall skyscraper. Before climbing the Taipei 101, Alex had an interview with Tudum and was asked about what success looked like for him. Alex had said;

“In this case, I want to feel good while I do it. I’m very confident that I can climb the building, which is why I’m doing this, but I want to have a good time, I want to smile and enjoy myself, and I want to have a good experience. I’ve done a lot of big rock solos in my life, on mountains where some have been incredible experiences, but some have been sort of survival experiences, where I barely get away with something. And afterward, I’m slightly traumatized because it’s all really scary. I’m basically not looking to have an experience like that. My aspiration for the building — over the years, I’ve run a handful of ultramarathons just because trail running goes hand in hand with mountain climbing to some extent. My goal in every ultra is always to not injure myself and to comport myself with dignity. Cross the finish line with a smile, still greet people, and have a good time.  I feel like my goal for the building is basically the same: not injure myself and comport myself with dignity.”

With Taipei 101 out of the way, Alex is planning on spending time with his daughters before preparing for his next big climb, but while you're waiting, be sure to check out Free Solo on Disney and Skyscraper live on Netflix

Article written by Faith A© Faith Ashington 2026