American Athlete Scales Taipei 101 Barehanded—A 508-Meter, 90-Minute Climb Where One Slip Could Be Fatal

On January 25 (Beijing time), American free-solo climber Alex Honnold successfully completed a breathtaking ascent of Taipei 101—scaling the building’s full 508-meter height with bare hands in approximately 1 hour and 31 minutes.

Taipei 101 stands 508 meters tall, making it Taiwan’s tallest structure and currently the world’s 11th-tallest building. Honnold, now 40, is renowned for completing multiple world-class climbs without ropes or protective gear. Often hailed as one of the greatest free-solo climbers of all time, he is also the star of the Academy Award–winning documentary Free Solo.

Ahead of the attempt, Honnold described Taipei 101 as an ideal target. With nearly 30 years of climbing experience, this was still a first for him: tackling a massive man-made structure. He admitted he was concerned the surface could be slick, but noted that with the right grip it would be manageable—while acknowledging that the opening moments would likely be tense because the sensation was entirely unfamiliar.

Honnold climbed the entire route without ropes, harnesses, or any safety protection—relying solely on strength, technique, and focus. The risk was extreme: a fall would almost certainly be fatal. The challenge had originally been scheduled for the previous day, but poor weather forced a postponement to 9:00 a.m. this morning.

The climb began at 9:00 a.m. Honnold wore a red T-shirt and black pants, with a small pouch at his waist carrying chalk (magnesium carbonate) to absorb sweat and oils, helping his fingertips maintain crucial friction against the surface.

By around 10:00 a.m., he had already cleared five of the tower’s segmented “bamboo” sections. At each level, he paused briefly to turn and wave to spectators below, energizing the crowd as he continued upward.

After 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 36 seconds, Honnold reached the summit. Standing tall on the rooftop, he accepted cheers and congratulations—closing out a daring, precision-driven feat high above the city.