The climb saw Honnold ascend all 101 floors of the 1,667-foot skyscraper as well as the 70-metre spire
Alex Honnold has returned to the spotlight after completing a live, rope-free climb of Taipei 101, one of the tallest buildings in the world, during Netflix’s Skyscraper Live event.
The climb, which took place on January 24 after being delayed by poor weather, saw Honnold ascend all 101 floors of the 1,667-foot skyscraper before attempting the building’s spire, measuring around 70 metres. The American climber undertook the ascent without ropes or safety equipment, with the entire effort broadcast live.
Ahead of the climb, Honnold spoke about his pay for the event, describing it as modest by comparison with mainstream sports. Speaking to The New York Times, he said, “If you put it in the context of mainstream sports, it’s an embarrassingly small amount. You know, Major League Baseball players get like $170 million contracts.” While the exact figure has not been disclosed, reports suggest it may be in the six-figure range or lower.
Honnold added that he was not being paid for the physical challenge itself but for the broadcast spectacle. “If there was no TV program and the building gave me permission to go do the thing, I would do the thing because I know I can, and it’d be amazing,” he said. “I am getting paid for the spectacle.”
As the climb unfolded, his wife, Sanni McCandless, shared her reaction with Netflix. “I think he’s probably really psyched. It’s beautiful conditions, there’s great energy here and he’s doing what he loves,” she said. “I’m just trying to stay calm and be in the moment. I’m breezy.”
Honnold safely reached the top, becoming the first person to climb the skyscraper without ropes, adding another milestone to his career in free solo climbing.
