Scaling the Infinite: Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 Mastery

The legendary Alex Honnold has added another impossible milestone to his legacy, completing a rope-free “free solo” ascent of the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan. Honnold, world-renowned for his 2017 climb of Yosemite’s El Capitan, conquered the 101-story steel-and-glass giant in just over 1.5 hours.

The Mental Strategy: Staying Present Honnold described the experience as “infinite,” noting that the sheer scale of the building caused him to lose track of time and space. His secret to success? Focusing entirely on a single move at a time, repeatedly, until the summit was reached.

Overcoming Technical Challenges The climb was far from easy. Honnold faced:

* Physical Fatigue: Scaling the overhanging “bamboo box” structures proved to be the most demanding phase.

* ⁠Environmental Factors: High winds and a previous delay due to rain tested his patience and grip.

* ⁠Public Pressure: The climb was livestreamed globally on Netflix, watched by thousands of fans and media members.

The “Victory Lap.” Despite the physical strain, Honnold described the final section as a “victory lap,” where the difficulty eased, and he could finally savor the historic view. Standing atop the spire, he celebrated with a summit selfie, describing the exhausting effort as “happy tired.” While others have climbed the tower before, notably Alain Robert in 2004, Honnold is the first to do so without safety equipment.

Honnold’s journey from the base to the spire is a powerful testament to the impact of meticulous preparation and an unwavering focus on execution.

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Source: By Yuliya Talmazan and Molly Hunter, NBC News