Is Alex Honnold still climbing without ropes? Let's find out
After his groundbreaking free solo ascent of El Capitan in 2017, we wondered what Alex Honnold would do next. Is he still free soloing?! How do you top THAT performance?
Well, if his recent achievement is anything to go by then, yes, Alex Honnold is most definitely still free soloing. Climbing Taipei 101 in Taiwan without any ropes, helmet, harness or safety equipment was a phenomenal undertaking, even without the live stream to millions watching across the world.
Cementing his legacy as one of the greatest climbers of all time, many consider Alex Honnold’s free solo climb of El Capitan as the pinnacle of his climbing career. Indeed, he has been vocal about stepping away from extreme climbing - until now.
We take a look at what’s next for Alex Honnold and how these iconic feats have shaped the climbing world.
Who is Alex Honnold?
Alex Honnold is a famous American climber who started climbing aged 5 and never stopped. He’s known for his calm demeanour and holds several notable climbing records including:
- January 2026 – free solo climb of the Taipei 101 building in Taipei, Taiwan
- June 2017 – free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, USA
- June 2018 – speed climbing record of The Nose in Yosemite National Park, USA
In addition, he holds numerous first free solo, free and sport climbing speed records, as well as a handful of records for linking up notable established routes.
His fame exploded when the Free Solo documentary broadcast Honnold’s free solo climb of El Capitan, putting Alex’s name firmly in the upper echelons of the climbing elite.
During filming of Free Solo, we see Honnold’s brain as it’s monitored. They found his fear response is much lower than other peoples. Could this be why big walls and live free solo climbs don’t faze him?
Side note: You can find out more about Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 climb in this blog!
What is free soloing?
Free solo climbing is rock climbing without ropes or safety equipment, using only hands and feet to ascend sheer surfaces.
Most free solo climbers are incredibly experienced, skilled, and cautious when undertaking these climbs, but it’s still certainly one of the most dangerous activities in the world because the risk is so high.
Even for an incredibly skilled and professional climber, the consequences of falling during a free solo climb are catastrophic injury or death.
Free climbing is different. With free climbing, the climber still uses their hands and feet to ascend, but they also have safety ropes and protective equipment in case they should fall.
In other words: free climbers place gear to protect themselves in case they fall, but they don’t use any of this gear for upward progress or resting.
Has Alex Honnold stopped free soloing?
No, Alex Honnold hasn’t stopped free soloing.
Sure, we’ve seen less of his audacious stunts in recent years, but he made an epic comeback recently!
In January 2026, Honnold free solo climbed Alex Honnold scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan. The 508 metre (1,667 feet) climb was the tallest urban free solo and was broadcast live on Netflix, making it one of the most high‑profile climbs ever completed.
Here are some of the best moments from the climb:
Want to know more about the climb? Find out more about how hard Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 climb really was.
How does Alex Honnold stay calm while free soloing?
He doesn’t deny that the climbs are dangerous, but his approach to fear is highly methodical: he rehearses every move endlessly, memorises sequences in minute detail, and has trained himself over decades to control the emotional response that most people would feel at great heights.
Rather than letting fear take over, he focuses on preparation and execution, treating difficult sections with such familiarity that his mind can become almost blank and purely concentrated on the climb itself.
He’s also spoken about how his brain’s fear centre shows less activity in situations that would trigger intense fear for most people, and that he simply works through any fear until it no longer hinders his performance.
But those around him certainly felt the pressure.
Honnold’s Free Solo documentary followed the journey of the initial stages of his relationship with Sanni McCandless, whom he later married.
In the documentary, we see through Sanni and his support team how his incredible climb of El Capitan took its toll on those closest to him. As he reached the top of the giant wall of granite, a collective sigh of relief was exhaled. He was safe. He had done it.
McCandless asked him how he could want to do that. Did he not think about those he left behind if he fell? And what if the worst happened? Questions viewers of the documentary were wondering, too.
Yet Alex looked confused by this. He didn’t think about falling. In his mind, he’d weighed up the risks, planned thoroughly and had no doubts the climb was within his capabilities.
His marriage to Sanni and the birth of his two children altered Alex’s outlook on life and seems to have inspired a more sedate lifestyle.
Since conquering El Capitan, Alex has turned his talent to different endeavours. Becoming a father has inevitably changed his perspective on things. Caring for dependents creates a level of responsibility that’s hard to ignore.
In recent years, Honnold has continued climbing but mostly with ropes, and has swapped his nomadic lifestyle for a more stable existence. Co-hosting a regular podcast, Climbing Gold, and supporting his charity solar projects through the Honnold Foundation, take up more of his time.
In addition to this, Honnold offers his services as a motivational speaker on the topic of climbing, inspiring others to overcome challenges through careful planning and preparation.
In a recent interview, when asked how his children viewed the Taipei 101 challenge, Alex responded that they grew bored, very quickly! Yet, he says, for other young people watching his climb, he wants to show that you can do anything you put your mind to, with enough determination to succeed.
For Honnold, this was a fun challenge and a life-long ambition.
Will Alex Honnold ever free solo again?
Honestly, it’s hard to know for sure.
Alex Honnold has publicly said that he always wanted to climb a skyscraper. With permission to climb Taipei 101 was granted, Honnold jumped at the chance of another iconic free solo ascent.
During the live stream on Netflix, Alex appeared unruffled throughout. He had trained tirelessly beforehand, scoped the building, plotted his route and remained confident that this challenge was within his ability. For Alex Honnold, free solo climbing Taipei 101 was less risky than previous endeavours, hence his dramatic emergence from self-imposed semi-retirement.
Interestingly, afterwards during his podcast, Climbing Gold, he debriefs about climbing a building and how he thought it would be like any other challenge and how wrong he was! He talks about the ‘vibe’ of this climb, and how he had to embrace the ‘spectacle’ to be able to shut it out and keep climbing.
So will Alex free solo another building?
Probably not, but you never know!
And what about in the mountains? Will Alex free solo another big wall?
We simply don’t know. Alex hasn’t mentioned any specific climbs in mind, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it happens sometime in the future.
Why Alex Honnold is still relevant without free soloing
Free solo climbing pushes the boundaries of what’s possible. Alex Honnold is a pioneering free soloist, and his name will go down in history for his accomplishments. The sheer number of first ascents he has completed outshines anyone else.
His career to date inspires countless young climbers and the legacy he leaves behind, whether he continues to free solo or not, is unforgettable.
Let’s take a quick look at his influence on climbing:
Changing public perception of free solo climbing
Honnold brought free solo to the masses when the El Capital documentary was broadcast. Before, free solo climbing was considered reckless and extreme. Yet Alex showed that a careful, considered approach to free solo climbing is possible with enough planning and preparation.
The scene of him memorising his moves, and the number of roped practice runs he completed, is a testament to the physical and mental preparation that went into his iconic El Capitan climb.
Here we saw an entirely new type of climber – one for whom the risks of a climb such as this were surmountable.
Safety in free solo climbing
In the same way he put free solo climbing in front of a mainstream audience, Honnold demonstrates that with a thorough plan, plenty of preparation and the right attitude, the unthinkable becomes possible.
His approach to safety inspires a whole new generation of climbers and identifies a clear path to success for others. Balancing risk with safety is key to survival and Alex demonstrates what is possible with enough ambition and discipline.
Note: Free solo climbing is an incredibly dangerous activity and should not be undertaken by anyone without proper care, skill, experience, and knowledge.
The future of free soloing
Does this mean we’ll see more daring free solo attempts? Who knows. The impact Honnold has had on the climbing world is profound and whether he continues to free solo climb himself, or not, we wait with bated breath for what comes next.
And we hope we’ll see another epic adventure from Honnold in the future. We wonder what it’ll be?!
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