World-renowned free climber Alex Honnold completed his most ambitious urban climb yet Sunday, scaling Taipei 101 without ropes, harnesses, or safety equipment. The 101-story tower is now the tallest building ever climbed using the free-solo method.
Honnold reached the top more than 1,600 feet above the city in just over 90 minutes. The climb was streamed live by Netflix with a time delay, designed to cut the feed if he fell.
Despite the danger, Honnold said remaining calm was his biggest challenge.
“The biggest challenge was staying calm,” he said, noting that the presence of cameras and spectators increased the intensity of the climb.
He emphasized preparation over fear, calling decades of experience his true protection.
“There’s preparation, there’s training, there’s rehearsal,” Honnold said, adding that the focus required during free soloing is what makes the climb meaningful to him.
